Summit Avenue in St. Paul

"Most men who have really lived have had, in some share, their great adventure. This railway is mine." -- James J. Hill

James J. Hill, the financier of the Stone Arch Bridge, (The Bridges of Hennepin County) made his home on Summit Avenue. On the recommendation of one of the kayak guides from my trip down the Mississippi River, I made my way to the famed Summit Avenue and James J. Hill's home. I was pleasantly surprised by the avenue and the home!

Summit Avenue makes its way from the area around the Cathedral of Saint Paul to Grand Avenue. It is one of the most gorgeous streets I have ever had the pleasure to stroll down. The homes are large, elegant, and speak of a time gone by. I was snapping pictures left and right! I apologize ahead of time, but I'm posting the pictures here; they're just to amazing not to share!

At the end of Summit Avenue nearest to the Cathedral of Saint Paul, sits the huge home of James J. Hill. The home is no longer a residence. It sits at the top of a hill, with the backyard overlooking Interstate 35. Hill's descendants gave the house to the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul in 1925. Years later, in 1978, it was obtained by the Minnesota Historical Society. It is now open for daily guided tours.

 I took one of the 75 minute guided tours, and it was well-worth the $10 I paid. The tour was informative, thorough, and well-planned. We were able to go in rooms on three floors of the house, ask questions, and even view china, silver, and other important artifacts. The home is full of special architectural touches, including hand-carved wooden paneled walls, a pipe-organ, and a call-system used when it was full of a staff. (shades of Downtin Abby) The home was completed in 1891. The house is composed of 36,500 square feet, including 13 bathrooms. Hill built it for his family to really live in, as a place for business associates to meet with him, and as place for entertaining. The tour points out how the mansion met all three of his visions.

Front of the Hill house

Front stairway

** Link for information on James J. Hill and the house

James J. Hill House

The Bridges of Hennepin County

"The bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. Some have been the chief of sinners and some have come at the very last of their days but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight. I will go with them trusting to the same support. It will bear me over as it has for them." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Bridges, whether actual or metaphorical, are vastly important to human existence. I have always had a special attraction to bridges, especially those old and covered. I have also long been cognizant of the metaphorical bridge created by the Cross on which my Savior died. Bridges speak to me.

While in Minneapolis I learned of several important bridges that span the Mississippi. With their close proximity to each other, they reminded me a little of those all important bridges in New York City. I discovered on my visit that the bridges of Minneapolis are just as rich in history as those in NYC. I want to focus on three.

The first bridge I crossed while in Minneapolis, and quite probably the site of the first ever bridge over the Mississippi River is the the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. I referred to this bridge briefly in my post about Nicollet Island (Minneapolis Moments Part Two). It was named for the first European to see Saint Anthony Falls, explorer Father Louis Hennepin. Minneapolis' county is also named for this Franciscan priest. The bridge is a suspension bridge and is quite picturesque. It has a lane for walkers/bikers and is easy to reach from several light rail stops.

The next Minneapolis bridge I want to focus on is the Stone Arch Bridge. Historically it is probably the most well known. The bridge was originally built as a railway bridge by railroad tycoon James J. Hill in 1883. Hill was criticized for building the bridge, with some even calling it Hill's Folly, until its importance was eventually realized. Architecturally the bridge is very significant. Hill hired designer Charles Smith, and one of the interesting aspects of the bridge that Smith included was that it does not cross the river at a 90 degree angle like the neighboring bridges. It crosses at about a 45 degree angle. This is significant because it allowed trains to cross without having to have cars individually turned before accessing the bridge. Sheer genius! The arches are probably the most obvious architectural touch. Originally the bridge had 23 arches, but two have since been removed in a renovation allowing larger barges to pass under the bridge. Hill's Folly has stood the test of time. The arches supported rail traffic for almost 100 years. It is now one of the oldest surviving bridges on the Mississippi. To learn more about this amazing bridge, click on the links below.

The final bridge I want to discuss (though not the last of the Hennepin County bridges) is the 35W. This bridge is possibly the most well-known due to the bridge's collapse in 2007. On August 1 nearing the end rush hour, the bridge was at maximum capacity along with having some construction done when it crumpled into the water. Unbelievably, only 13 people were killed. There was even a loaded school bus on the bridge at the time of the catastrophe. A staff member on the bus and a truck driver also caught on the bridge saved the 52 children and adult passengers on board!

The bridge, a major artery for Minneapolis traffic, was quickly rebuilt. This new interstate bridge has some awesome details which I learned about on my segway tour. The bridge now has one of the highest ratings given to bridges worldwide, utilizing 323 sensors which are constantly measuring bridge conditions. It has an amazing anti-ice system included which negates the use of salt on the surface during the winter. The final technological facet of the new bridge is its LED lighting system, very unique in highways and bridges. When the bridge first reopened, residents were allowed to vote on the color the bridge would be each night. There was such a tremendous response to this opportunity, that it had to be revoked. It is now lighted "on special events and in recognition of special occasions." According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, they receive "dozens of request each year from organizations requesting special bridge lighting." Click on the link below to see some more fantastic nighttime pictures of the bridge.

** Bridge Notes:
Stone Arch Bridge Info.
Stone Arch Bridge

35W Bridge Lightshow