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Newton Blackmour State Trail - Shiocton Rail Bridge

Outagamie County, Wisconsin

Photos 

1 Shiocton 01.JPG

This bridge crosses the Lower Wolf River at Shiocton WI on the former Green Bay and Western rail line, connecting Green Bay and Kewaunee WI with Winona MN. At the time it was built, the Wolf River was deemed by the Federal Government as being navigable as far as Shawano WI, 30 miles further upstream.

Photo taken by Robert Thompson in October 2009

Enlarge

BH Photo #148358

Map 

Historic significance: 

Written by Robert Thompson

Why is there a swing bridge in this remote location?

The Wolf River was part of the lumber route from northern Wisconsin to the sawmills and paper mills of the Fox River Valley. The Lower Wolf River is a meandering river without steep gradient; here, log rafts were pulled by tugboat to the mills, about 60 miles downstream by water. This swing bridge allowed the tugs to navigate past the rail crossing.

Facts 

Overview
Deck plate girder bridge over Wolf River on Newton Blackmour State Trail
Location
Shiocton, Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Status
Open to pedestrians only
History
Built 1898, Through Girder added 1913 Replacing a Trestle Approach
Builder
- Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (TPG)
Railroads
- Fox Valley & Western Ltd. (FVW)
- Green Bay & Western Railroad (GB&W)
- Rail-to-trail
- Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC)
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 70.0 ft.
Total length: 205.0 ft.
Also called
GB&W - Wolf River Swing Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.43900, -88.58778   (decimal degrees)
44°26'20" N, 88°35'16" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/373642/4921859 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Shiocton
Land survey
T. 22 N., R. 16 E
Inventory number
BH 43563 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (6,769)
Built 1898 (282)
Built during 1890s (2,696)
Continuous (2,254)
Deck girder (4,953)
Fox Valley & Western Ltd. (18)
Girder (8,936)
Green Bay & Western Railroad (12)
Movable (2,826)
Navigable waterway (2,088)
Open to pedestrians (3,759)
Outagamie County, Wisconsin (40)
Owned by state (14,856)
 Plate girder (6,798)
Rail-to-trail (1,382)
Railroad (14,213)
Shiocton, Wisconsin (2)
Span length 50-75 feet (9,452)
Swing (1,348)
Through girder (3,309)
Total length 175-250 feet (4,005)
Wisconsin (1,363)
Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Co. (139)
Wisconsin Central Ltd. (88)
Wolf River (Wisconsin) (18)

Update Log 

  • April 26, 2015: New photo from Robert Thompson
  • October 9, 2014: New photos from John Marvig
  • September 29, 2014: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
  • September 27, 2014: Updated by Luke: Added info
  • May 22, 2014: Updated by Luke Harden: Status update
  • August 24, 2013: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • December 7, 2009: New photo from Robert Thompson
  • October 31, 2009: Essay added by Robert Thompson

Sources 

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Comments 

Newton Blackmour State Trail - Shiocton Rail Bridge
Posted March 20, 2016, by Robert Thompson

http://www.greenbayroute.com/1910shiocton.htm

Shiocton Rail Swing Bridge
Posted January 17, 2011, by Robert Thompson

Phantom trains will soon stop rushing out of the mists - the railbed is being converted into a bicycle trail!

From the Wisconsin DNR:

>>>Newton Blackmour State Trail [exit DNR]

Under construction; currently this trail is surfaced between Seymour and Black Creek for about 9 miles. When completed, this county-operated 23-mile trail will connect the communities of New London, Shiocton, Black Creek and Seymour in Outagamie County. This trail, on a former rail grade, is near the southern segment of the Wiouwash State Trail. <<