1840 Mill Dam & 1998 Canoe Rapids and Putnam Street Bridges over Red Cedar River in Williamston, MI

Dam: (Satellite, this is a replacement.)

Rapids: (Satellite)

Bridge: (Satellite)

Digitally zoomed from the historical marker below

           

I found this historical marker while looking for a display of the Leffel mill turbine.                            

hmdb, 2017 photo by Cosmos Mariner

Since I knew the town had water-powered mills, I recognized the mill pond and its dam in this map. 

1911/47 Mason Quad @ 62,500

The pond covered even more of the swamp in 1970.

1970/73 Williamston Quad @ 24,000

The pond no longer exists because the dam was wiped out by a flood on Apr 18, 1975. "To restore natural fisheries, and other environmental concerns, the state denied efforts to rebuild it. With a grant from the Natural Resources Trust Fund and funding from the sale of bonds by the Downtown Development Authority, an innovative alternative was realized in 1998. Costing less than a dam and fish ladder, the boulder impoundment raises the water level over one mile and provides whitewater recreation and natural wildlife habitat." [hmdb]

This source calls it a canoe rapids.

The 1902 bridge looks like it was pin connected.

Digitally zoomed from the historical marker above
By the latter half of the 19th century, iron bridges were being factory produced by numerous companies. By 1900, iron bridges had become a common site throughout Michigan. Today, only a few remain.             

The 1931 bridge looks like it had concrete girders. 

Digitally zoomed from the historical marker above
With the coming of the automobile, traffic demanded a two lane bridge. A reinforced concrete bridge was dedicated in 1931, completed in 1932, served until 2005. This bridge was built under the "State Reward Act", financed in part by gasoline tax revenue. The "reward" was payment of half the cost through the State Highway Commission (the Village and County Road Commission paid the balance).

Today's bridge and canoe rapids. I can't tell what type of girders the 2005 bridge had.

Digitally zoomed from the historical marker above

Today's bridge is decorated with brick, stone and metal railings.

Street View, Jul 2025