The Bridge To Nowhere In The Middle Of The North Dakota Prairie Will Capture Your Imagination
By Tori Jane|Published April 04, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
If there’s something we find strangely intriguing here at Only In Your State, it’s bridges. We’re not even sure what it is about them that’s so captivating; they simply are. There’s something about them that really ignites the imagination and beckons curious onlookers to come closer – especially when it’s a bridge that doesn’t actually go anywhere. Enter the “Lost Bridge” of North Dakota: a bridge built over the Little Missouri River in the 1930s. Its original use was for moving cattle over the river, so it didn’t really need a road leading to (or from) it. Eventually, though, one would be built – but the bridge’s life wouldn’t be very long despite the effort.
The bridge, once known as the Dunn County Bridge or the Killdeer Bridge, stood tall and proud long before its dismantling.
It hung out all by itself, lingering over the Little Missouri, for another 20 years following its construction before any roads leading to (or from) it were actually constructed.
The Little Missouri River is a tributary of the larger Missouri River.
It extends 560 miles long through the northern plains of North America. It's filled with scenic views, twists and turns, and plenty more things that make it special and worth visiting on its own.
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For a long time, this particular bridge stood, mostly unbothered and waiting for traffic of any kind to meander past as the Little Missouri flowed free below.
But ultimately, in 1994, the bridge was deconstructed (though part of it was left behind and re-installed along Route 22 with a plaque to commemorate it) and a new one was built in its place further up the river.
No matter what, though, one thing is for sure: there really is something magical and intriguing about old, forgotten bridges. Is it the potential the bridge may have had? Is it the eeriness of it having been left to decay? We're not sure.
Nowadays, if you find yourself wandering along Route 22 in North Dakota, you might find yourself looking at the remnants of the old bridge nearby the new one.
While you're here, be sure to check out the nearby town of Killdeer, too - there's much to do in this small, historic North Dakota town!
What do you think? Do you find old, abandoned, or otherwise forgotten bridges in North Dakota interesting? Tell us your thoughts in the comments; we love hearing about the things that fascinate you!
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