South Sioux City in Dakota County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Pacific Short Line Bridge (Nebraska Side)

Started 1890 - Finished 1896

Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 17, 2021

1. Pacific Short Line Bridge (Nebraska Side) Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Designer: J.A.L. Waddell
Built By: Phoenix Bridge Company - Fabricator and Erector
Sooysmith & Company - Foundations & Piers

The stone of this monument came from piers of the previous bridge erected at this spot. The Pacific Short Line had been a speculative railroad venture by Sioux City businessmen who sought new markets to the west. The Railroad company failed in 1893, but Sioux City investors saw the bridge to completion . The bridge opened new business markets and tied northeastern Nebraska to Sioux City. The structure was known locally as the combination bridge because it originally carried trains and street cars down the center and horse drawn cars and pedestrians on the outside. It consisted of two 500 foot Pennsylvania fixed spans and two 470 foot Pratt rim bearing swing spans with timber trestle approaches. The swing spans were needed to allow passage of steamboat and were first opened by hand and later by electrical power. The Iowa swing span was removed in 1959. Because the Pacific Short Line bridge was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. A written history and photographs

Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, June 17, 2021

2. Pacific Short Line Bridge (Nebraska Side) Marker

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of the bridge were prepared in 1980 for the Historic American Engineering record of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. The bridge was demolished in March 1981, when a modern replacement structure was completed.

Erected 1981.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1981.

Location. 42° 29.171′ N, 96° 24.787′ W. Marker is in South Sioux City, Nebraska, in Dakota County. Marker is at the intersection of East 4th Street and Dakota Avenue on East 4th Street. This marker is located at the Albertsen's Bridgeview Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: South Sioux City NE 68776, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pacific Short Line Bridge (approx. 0.2 miles away in Iowa); The Spirit of Siouxland (approx. ¼ mile away in Iowa); The Lewis & Clark Expedition (approx. 0.4 miles away in Iowa); M.V. Sergeant Floyd (approx. 0.4 miles away in Iowa); Prospect Hill (approx. 0.6 miles away in Iowa); MA1 (EXW) John Douangdara (approx. 1.4 miles away); Grand Army of the Republic (approx. 2.1 miles away in Iowa); Floyd Monument (approx. 2.4 miles away in Iowa).

An Early Twentieth Century View of the Pacific Short Line Bridge. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By LOC HAER IA-1 ia0082

3. An Early Twentieth Century View of the Pacific Short Line Bridge.

Photo is from the Library of Congress, taken from Prospect Hill. Photo is from Survey HAER IA-1.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 2, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 134 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 3, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.