Thursday, September 24, 2026

Napier Bridges over St. Joseph River at Benton Harbor, MI

1870: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges)
1905: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges)
1966: (Satellite)

1870


The Herald-Press: May 27 1965 via BridgeHunter_1870
"collapsed due to flooding in March 1904"

1905


The Herald-Press: May 27 1965 via BridgeHunter_1905

Don Lee Aldrich Jr. posted
1910 Blast from the past  Benton Harbor on right side and St. Joe on left.  Notice the train tracks on bottom left that used to run all the way down the river.
Ken Williams: The new bridge was built and finished in 1966 before that bridge was torn down. Major repairs were done in 2022. I did start driving until 1964 but I avoided that bridge as all cost because I wasn't driving a model T that it was designed for.
Thomas Dyer: That’s was the old nyc line that went to Nile’s off of the GR sub.

BridgeHunter_1905 indicates the railroad was the C&O/PM, but this topo map shows Michigan Central. MC became NYC. 
1930/46 Menton Harbor Quad @ 62,500

I think this is the first time that I have seen a mistake in Bridge Hunter concerning a railroad. But Thomas' comment above and this map confirm it was NYC/MC instead of C&O/Pere Marquette.
rail.guide

c1966


It looks like today's bridge is a steel-girder bridge.
Kevin Birdsall, Oct 2025

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