Twin Cities Tour Guide

Hello again, intrepid blog tourers!        

        Today we stop at what has been dubbed, “The Most Romantic Spot in Minneapolis” – The Stone Arch Bridge. Stretching more than 2,000 feet across the Mississippi river in the heart of downtown Minneapolis (map), the bridge is truly a sight to see. The bridge, built in 1883 by railroad magnate James J. Hill, earned its name because [spoiler alert]… it is supported by a series of 23 stone arches… and one steel truss. It served as a railroad bridge until 1964, and was recently re-opened for pedestrian and bike traffic (and the occasional Segway, trolley, or horse drawn carriage.). 

The historic Stone Arch Bridge stands gracefully over the placid Mississippi River.
    (Photo courtesy of Drew Geraets)

The Experience

Any of you who have ever seen or gone over a bridge, know that for the most part, bridges tend to just go straight across whatever it is they are crossing (river, highway, troubled water, etc.). We’ve all heard the saying, “the shortest distance between any two points is a straight line,” right? Apparently not James J. Hill. That was one of the first things I noticed about the bridge. Take a look at the unusual design of the bridge:

The unusual curve of the Stone Arch Bridge (foreground) with St. Anthony falls justvisible beyond the steel truss section. (Photo courtesy of Enrico Fuente)

As it turns out, there is a good reason for this design – James J. Hill (the railroad magnate who built the bridge in the beginning of this post, remember?) owned land on either side of the river, but his plots were not directly across from each other. Thus the long curvy bridge, instead of a straight one. 

As I began to cross the bridge from West to East, I first noticed the Mill Ruins. They are located in the bluff on West Bank. A series of canals and tunnels lead into the bluff. In the city’s milling heyday, water was channeled from the river above the falls, into canals to provide power to the mills along the bluffs. That water then flowed back into the river through the canals that make up the mill ruins. I really wanted to explore the tunnels, but they are, not surprisingly, sealed off with metal gates. 

Heading further east, I enjoyed watching boats slowly raise and lower through the lock and dam, and found St. Anthony falls provided a pleasing backdrop (both in sight and sound – more in my next post). The Bridge also gave me excellent view of the newest bridge in Minneapolis, the rebuilt I-35W bridge, just to the south (the old one collapsed about a year ago). In a neat contrast to the busy city on the west bank, the east bank bluffs are a peaceful state park shrouded by trees, with dirt paths winding throughout. My favorite aspect of the Stone Arch Bridge though is the views:                                

The lovely Minneapolis skyline on the western bank of the river. The building on the left that looks like it has collapsed is the MIll City Museum (Photo courtesy of Tom Westbrook)

 One section of Mill Ruins park, located at the western end of the bridge. I took this photo from the Stone Arch Bridge on a recent visit.

The lush wooded bluffs and historic Pillsbury (as in the doughboy) A Mill (flour mill) on the river’s east bank. (Photo courtesy of Kate Harrington)

The view north from the bridge features St. Anthony falls, the lock and dam, and the 3rd Ave. bridge. (Photo courtesy of Jvstin)

The Highlights:

1. The Views: The west bank offers beautiful panoramic cityscapes.
2. The Price is Right: The bridge and Mill Ruins park are free! The only expense you might incur would be parking, if you park in the pay lot at the west end or a ramp in St. Anthony. There is often ample street parking near the west end of the bridge though.
3. Fun for all: Everyone seems to enjoy the bridge. There are informational placards on the bridge, and I noticed that many young children were fascinated by the lock and dam and St. Anthony falls.
4. The ambiance: The combination of the views and the calming roar of the falls (yes, roars can be calming) make this one of the most enchanting spots in Minneapolis, especially at night:

The Lowlights:

1. Rarely the river carries a slightly unpleasant odor (once in the six or seven times I’ve been there).
2. The views of the east bank are somewhat marred by power plants, towers, and power lines.
3.  Watch out for bike riders – I’ve encountered several on the bridge who seemed unwilling to slow down or even turn slightly to avoid pedestrians. Make sure you look both ways before crossing from one side to the other (here I mean crossing the short way, from the north railing to the south railing).

The Top Four Reasons You Need to Go:

1. To see the things that make Minneapolis what it is today: The falls, the lock and dam, the old Mill buildings, the brand new Mill City Museum and Guthrie Theatre – all while standing on a National Historic Engineering Landmark.
2. The views
3. It’s the most romantic spot in Minneapolis!
4. It’s Free and fun for all ages!

A Fun Challenge:

There is a common rhyme associated with weddings: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” See if you can spot all four of those things while standing on the Stone Arch Bridge. Feel free to post your answers as comments.

When You Go:

To Park on the West Bank (downtown): 

 From the East: Head into downtown on I-35W. Get off at Washington Ave and head northwest (towards the skyscrapers). Turn right on Portland Ave. Follow Portland Ave straight into the parking lot. From the West: Follow the directions above, or take Hennepin Ave Northeast through downtown to Washington Ave. Turn right on Washington and head southeast. Turn left onto Portland Ave and take Portland Ave. straight into the parking lot.

To Park on the East Bank (St. Anthony): 

From the East: Take I-35W towards downtown. Get off on 4th St heading Northwest. Turn left on 2nd Ave. After you cross University Ave, follow the signs into the parking ramp. Walk through the tunnel, and through the St. Anthony Main building complex. Exit onto Main St. and head southeast (towards the mill buildings). The entrance to Stone Arch Bridge will be about three blocks away on your right.

From the West: Follow the directions above, or take Hennepin Ave through downtown, and across the river. Turn right onto University Ave. Turn right on 2nd Ave. and park in the same ramp as above.

Enjoy! See you at the next stop!