Old Craig Bridge...Pt. 1

Here it is...in Helena Montana waiting for it's new resting place. It will be re-installed using all 3 pieces on the Old State Nursery property and open for all to enjoy...at some point in the future. The Craig Bridge was saved by Bridgeworks Conservancy of Helena in 2007 and will be a part of Nursery Park near the Broadwater property on Hwy 12 heading across MacDonald Pass.

Old Craig Bridge Helena Montana

Mark Raisler photo

The Craig Bridge was almost never built at the Craig location according to documents on the mt.gov site. The bridge was need to provide access to farmers and ranchers on the east side of the river to the Montana Central Railroad at Craig on the west side of the Missouri. Access was also needed to the Benton Road between Helena and Great Falls. There was an antiquated hand line ferry across the Mo until this point and did not carry enough freight for the farmers. 7 mile road rancher Frank Wegner (Wegner Creek enters the Mo on the east side across from Craig) was a huge advocate of building the bridge at Craig beginning in the 1890's. He believed that promotion of the area was achieved by this bridge and wanted to gain the markets of Helena.

Railroad politics nearly squashed the bridge in Craig. A battle between Montana Central RR and Northern Pacific, with mineral shipping of copper and silver from neighboring communities ( Basin and Butte to name a couple) was at the forefront until Wegner turned the tables.

Craig Bridge Looking WSW

Historic American Engineering Record Photo
Library of Congress Public Domain

Resistance, based on these RR complications, from Helena businessmen about the bridge in Craig was beaten when Frank Wegner was elected to the Lewis and Clark County Commission in 1900. Lewis and Clark County let a contract to the Elkhart Bridge Co. in 1902 for the Original Craig Bridge.

Craig did not have the first bridge over the Missouri. That honor was bestowed upon the first community in Montana, Fort Benton. Their bridge was built in 1888 by Milwaukee Bridge Works and completed by Benton Bridge Co. The Fort Benton Bridge is still standing, although it is only open for foot traffic. A designation that a few voices fought for with the Craig Bridge. A battle that was lost. Craig had the second bridge, not bad for a small ranching community. Just 90 years before the fisherman arrived in force.

The significance of the Craig Bridge according to the Library of Congress Historic American Engineering Record is: The Missouri River Bridge at Craig was the second vehicular bridge constructed across the Missouri River in Montana. It provided access to the MCRR station at Craig for the farmers and ranchers living on the est side of the river. It also facilitated the integration of this section of Meagher and Cascade counties into Lewis and Clark County by providing access to the road from Craig to Helena, the closest county seat. The bridge is and excellent example of a pin-connected Pratt through truss of the type built in large numbers throughout Montana between 1887 and 1915. All of its structural components are intact and the bridge retains excellent integrity and association with transportation in the upper Missouri Valley.

Many of you who have been coming to Craig for a dog's age. You fondly remember this bridge and continually lament about the new bridge. I agree...the new version is quite sterile and boring. Nothing like the truss construction of the first version...which only lasted 100+ yrs.

I will be telling the story of the Craig Bridge over the Holiday weekend...while the rest of you folks feast on Turkey, tie some flies, and watch a few football games.

The river should have some anglers out and about, as many have a tradition of their own which includes casting a fly or two...even if we don't have a cool bridge anymore.

Sources include...
Library of Congress Survey # HAER MT-112
Historic Bridges of the United States / Craig
mt.gov Bridge Adoption: Preservation of the Craig Bridge
BridgeConservancy.org
Word of Mouth