First bridge over the Mississippi River opens at Minneapolis

Construction and Opening. The original crossing opened as a toll bridge on January 23, 1855, becoming the first permanent span across the Mississippi River. It connected the west bank of the river to Nicollet Island. This first bridge was later followed by two other overpasses at the site before the current bridge. During later construction, foundations of the 1855 bridge and the 1870 bridge were uncovered and documented by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Legacy and Preservation. The 1855 bridge is recognized as the first bridge to cross the Mississippi, preceding two other overpasses at the same location. Excavations in 1983, 1985, and 1987, along with construction work in 1988 and 1989, revealed substantial portions of the first and second bridges. These findings highlighted the historic value of the earlier structures to the city, linking the modern Father Louis Hennepin Bridge to its predecessors.