First train crosses the newly completed Mississippi bridge at La Crosse

June 19, 1873, saw the first revenue train traverse the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway's new bridge at La Crosse, Wisconsin. This 1,600-foot steel structure replaced unreliable ferries and ice crossings, dramatically improving year-round freight and passenger service between the Upper Midwest and the growing Northwest. Designed by engineer George S. Morison, the bridge featured innovative swing spans to accommodate river traffic. Its completion accelerated settlement, lumber transport, and grain movement, cementing Milwaukee Road's dominance in the region and contributing to the broader national network that would soon reach the Pacific.