27th Street Bridges over Rock River and Hennepin Canal in Moline, IL

(Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; Satellite)

Hennepin Canal Overview

Retro Quad Cities posted
Built in 1904 and replaced in 1938, this is the Moline Rock River bridge (27th Street)

I wonder what the 1938 bridge looked like. I doubt that the current bridge was built in 1938.

Street View, Aug 2019

A comment on the above post by Miles W. Rich explained that the 1904 bridge was high enough to clear barge traffic, but the 1938 bridge had a movable span. There was barge traffic until 1951 because this segment of the river was part of the Hennepin Canal. Specifically, the river was used between Steel Dam and Lock #30 on the west side and Lock #29 on the east side.

Satellite

Matt Timion - 4th Ward Alderman - City of Moline, IL posted two images with the comment:

Then & Now: The Rock River Bridge (also known as the "Moline Bridge")

From 1876 until 1898, the Rock River bridge in Moline (27th Street aka Highway 150) was a toll bridge.  It cost cattle 4 cents to cross; a sheep or hog 2 cents; horses, mules or asses were 5 cents unsaddled, 10 cents if saddled; and 15 cents for a wagon drawn by a horse or mule, each additional animal cost 5 cents each.  The city provided a home for a city employee to live on site and collect tolls. (thank you Retro Quad Cities)

When the bridge was rebuilt in 1876, the Rock River was not considered navigable by boat. The bridge was used for livestock, pedestrians, wagons, and eventually trains cars to cross the bridge. Monthly reports of the revenue generated at the bridge were posted in the Moline Review-Dispatch.

In 1897, while constructing the Hennepin Canal, the Federal Government sued the city of Moline, referring to the bridge as an obstruction. The Federal Government demanded that the city rebuild the bridge at a higher level so that boats could pass underneath. The city said it could not comply because they did not have the money to rebuild the bridge.

The city attorney traveled to Chicago and had a federal judge pause the daily fines against the city for non-compliance, and then traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress to fund the reconstruction themselves.

In April of 1898 the Federal Government settled the case and agreed to pay $25,000 to the city for reconstruction of the bridge to allow boat traffic.

By April 1900, this bridge was finished construction for the cost of approximately $30,000. The bridge no longer charged tolls, and was owned by the city until 1921, when the state took possession.

The postcard here shows the bridge the Federal Government paid to have rebuilt, soon after construction. This bridge was the fourth time the bridge was built, and would not be the last.

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