S T E E C O U N I N A T Y M How can you not love the beauty and engineering that goes into these amazing structures? Manistee County is home to 3 vehicular, 3 railroad and 1 massive pedestrian bridge along with 2 hydroelec- tric dams and 1 egg-take/salmon harvest weir. If you are a fan of these beautiful structures and appreciate the engineering, you are sure to enjoy this self-guided tour throughout Manistee County.

VISITMANISTEECOUNTY A ONE DAY TRIP TO THE Manistee BRIDGES & DAMS Lake OF MANISTEE COUNTY

VisitManisteeCounty.com

MAPLE STREET SWING BRIDGE: 1873 THE FIRST IRON BRIDGE WITH A 160’ SPAN BUILT FOR A COST OF $18,000

East St SMITH STREET BRIDGE: 1894 HAND OPERATED, DRUM BEARING SWING BRIDGE THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CURRENT MEMORIAL BRIDGE S T E E C O U N I N A T Y M VISITMANISTEECOUNTY VisitManisteeCounty.com

START Road. Take Eastlake Road all the way into the Village of Stronach. Here you will turn East on Stronach Road where you will see the Begin your Bridges and Dams tour in the heart of downtown Manistee at the Swing Bridge - which can be viewed from the second location on the Memorial railroad crossing. Approximately 500’ down the tracks (Southeast) you Bridge - which is the US31/Big crossing. will come across the Stronach Railroad Bridge.

SWING BRIDGE 1 Joyfield Lindy Rd.

St. Pierre Rd Taylor Rd Putney N. Countyline Rd. Taylor Rd Swanson Rd Thompsonville

GPS: 44.251572, -86.317858 Rd. Thompsonville Letteau Rd Letteau

Moore Rd Simpson Rd 22 Dzulbanek Rd 115 Nurmberger Rd

Nessen City Rd.

Kurick Rd. Kurick Marilla Rd. Marilla This Swing Bridge services the Marquette Glovers Lake Rd 31 Viaduct Rd 1 Glovers Lake Rd Glovers Springdale Rd. Rail system across the Manistee River. This Lake Faylor Rd

Litzen Rd Arcadia Erwin Rd Arcadia Lake Keillor Rd Copemish NORTH Lumley Rd Erdman Rd Lumley Rd Copemish

plate girder swing bridge is a rare structure Rd Butwell Glovers Lake Rd

Healy Lake Rd. Lake Healy Dam Pond Read Rd Big 4 Rd 4 Big type in , and is one of the few St. Pierre Rd NORTH COAST Alkire Rd Norconk Rd Rice Rd remaining functional bridges in the state. Norconk Rd YatesRd Plagany Rd Steffens Rd Bear Creek Thompsonville Rd 2 Watching one of the 600’+ Great Lakes Gear Rd Churchill Rd Valencourt Rd Lakeview Rd Bear Beall Rd Healy 13 Mile Rd Lake shipping liners navigate this tight opening is a Lake 13 Mile Rd. WOODS Milarch Rd 115 Erdman Rd 13 Mile Rd 13 Mile Rd

sight to see. The bridge is still in good Potter Rd Lemon Bear Lake Potter Rd Lake working order today and is an intersection 22 Benton Rd

Erwin Rd 11 MIle Rd

11 MIle Rd Rd Niemi Anderson Rd Anderson

point for the area’s industrial rail freight and Litzen Rd Chief Rd Chief

Big 4 Rd 4 Big Hulls Rd Jouppi Rd Jouppi 31 Lindroos Rd Rd. Marilla Maidens Rd 3 shipping. Herkelrath Rd Gordons Lake Horseshoe Creek Rd Creek Horseshoe Maidens Rd

Ziehm Rd Ziehm Salma Bigge Rd Point Dr. Lake Bigge Rd Portage Kaleva Creamery Rd 9 Mile Road Erwin Rd Beers Rd N.Hodenpyle Dam Rd Hodenpyle1 0 If you are gazing out to view the Swing 9 Mile Rd. Dam Pond

Tannerville Rd 1 1 Elm Rd Elm

Portage 8 Mile Rd Puustinen Rd Marilla Bridge, you are probably standing atop the 2nd Onekama Anderson Rd Milks Rd Lake Lake Lake Wiitala Rd Wilson Rd Sweets Crescent Emma Balsam Rd Ravine Rd

Milarch Rd Beach Rd Lenz Rd Hodenpyle Rd attraction on the tour, the Memorial Bridge. Lyman Rd Chief Lake Johnson Rd Michigan Rd Farnsworth 22 Feldhak Rd W. 26 Rd

Pole Rd High Bridge Rd. Bridge High

Miller Rd Kerry Rd Tompke Rd Tompke

MEMORIAL BRIDGE Collins Rd Clarence

Lake No. 1 Rd Brewer Rd Big Manistee River

Schoedel Rd Coates Hwy. Upper River Rd. Clements Rd Clements Slagle Creek Rd Kettner Rd Dickson W. 33 Rd GPS: 44.250327, -86.319124 8BrethrenLake

Bar Lake Rd Cottage Creek Rd 31 River Rd N. Coates Hwy Piney Rd Griffith Rd Constructed in 1933, the Memorial 2 Rd Swihart Flarity Rd Bar Lake Rd Keith Arquil Creek Rd. Kott Rd Dontz Rd Bear Creek Warfield Rd Bridge is the second bridge Rd Dilling Brethren Hwy Dickson Rd

Hill Rd Hill Lagerquist Rd River Rd River Rd constructed connecting the north and Upper River Rd Becker Rd W. 34 1/2 Rd 4 9 south sides of Manistee. Its double leafe Big Manistee River Old House Rd 37

1 Guenthardt Rd RIVER COUNTRY King Rd King 3 Rd Oaks Glen Chicago Ave Seaman Rd electric bascule construction was cutting edge MANISTEEClaybank Tippy Peterson Creek Rd 2 Dam N. Baker Rd Pine Creek Rd Lake N. Tippy Dam Rd Tower Line RdPond

River St. S. Claybank Rd Pomeroy Rd Pomeroy during its construction and is known 55 Horseshoe Bend Rd

Warfield Rd

S. Michigan Rd Manistee AREA Cedar Creek Rd Rd Moss Eastlake throughout the state as one of the most exten- Huff Rd Husier Rd Merkey Rd Filer City Rd 55 7 Steinberg Rd Manistee Rd Skocelas 55 sively decorated bascule bridges in Michigan. Snyder Rd Lake 5 Round StronachSteinberg Rd Rd 9 Mile Bridge Rd Steinberg Rd Wellston Lake Stronach Rd Fire Tower Rd Stronach Red Arrow Rd Arrow Red Dam Rd Little Manistee River Red Apple Rd Preuss Rd Old Stronach Rd Pine Lake Rd Dorner Pine River The bridge recently underwent substantial 6 Koon Rd Bosschem Rd Lake Seaman Rd.

Maple Rd 31 Udell Hills Rd Laverne Rd Fox Farm Rd Rd Custer N Pine

Linke Rd

rehabilitation to preserve the ornate art deco RIVER Rd Madison Lake Camp Rd

Hoxeyville Rd. elements that make this bridge one of the W. County Line Rd. 9 Mile Bridge Rd

Quarterline Rd. COUNTRY Dublin most spectacular in Michigan. E. Co. Line Rd W. 12 Mile Rd Darr Rd Continuing west along River Street, you will wooden swing bridge. The first bridge was MANISTEE RIVER enjoy the historic architecture of downtown constructed on this site in 1866, and has been Manistee on your way to the second bridge in a lifeline between north and south Manistee TRAIN BRIDGE 4 Manistee. If you want to explore the bridges ever since. One of the most unique charac- GPS: 44.248344, -86.323673 in greater detail, you can make your way to the teristics about this bridge is the single massive riverfront where you can walk the Riverwalk roller bearing for the approach and spans. The Manistee River Train Bridge is a classic along all of Downtown Manistee. Even though this bridge lacks the same truss bridge used for years to transport pedes- architectural characteristics of the Memorial trians and freight across rivers and gorges. MAPLE STREET Bridge just up the river, it is still a unique This bridge, perhaps not unique to the BRIDGE bridge with a unique and interesting history. untrained eye, has many unique architectural 3 details such as the dropped bottom truss GPS: 44.248344, -86.323673 Cross the Maple Street Bridge and make your chord and unusual detailing on the bridges way to US-31 North. Traveling approximate- struts. The best location to view this bridge is It’s the fourth bridge that has been constructed ly 3 miles down US-31, you will reach the from the parking area in the Instalaunch crossing the Manistee River at Maple Street. Instalaunch Cabins and Campground. Turn- Campground area. The Maple Street Bridge is a double leafe ing into this area, you will be able to view the electric bascule bridge and was constructed in Manistee River Train Bridge, the next stop on Continue North on US-31 to the M-55 1962 replacing two iron swing bridges and a the self-guided tour. intersection and proceed east to Eastlake S T E E C O U N I N A T Y M VISITMANISTEECOUNTY VisitManisteeCounty.com

Road. Take Eastlake Road all the way into the Village of Stronach. denotes the are where the former structure once stood. High Bridge was Just to the north and west of the dam, you will find the “Little Mac” Here you will turn East on Stronach Road where you will see the contructed in 1889 for the Chicago and West Michigan Railway. At the pedestrian foot bridge that spans the Big Manistee River and connects railroad crossing. Approximately 500’ down the tracks (Southeast) you time of its construction, it was the highest rail bridge in all of Michigan. the Manistee River Trail and North Country Trail loop. You can hike will come across the Stronach Railroad Bridge. By the early 1910s, the bridge was owned by the Pere Marquette down the footpath from the dam to get here, or drive to Upper River Railroad and went from Grand Rapids to Traverse City. It was later Road, just off of Hodenpyl Dam Road and park in the parking area and STRONACH RAIL BRIDGE 5 acquired by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. In the late 1940s a walk down to the bridge. GPS: 44.210028, -86.267776 different route was established and the structure was dissesembled in the fall of 1955. Constructed in 1887, the Stronach Rail Bridge is one of the oldest bridges still in service. Its main span is 124 feet and is frequently used by CSX Rail. The bridge’s classic lines highlight a typical v-lacing bridge TIPPY DAM 9 structure, however, a unique feature are the wooden abutments that are GPS: 44.259917, -85.942671 still intact to this day. Completed in 1918, Tippy Dam (known as Junction Hydro when it Continue down Stronach Road until you reach Old Stronach Road. was built) was named after Charles W. Tippy, a board of directors chair Proceed East towards the Little Manistee River Weir. for Consumers Power. Tippy is Consumers Energy’s second largest hydro dam, producing up to 20,000 kilowatts and providing electricity to approximately 6,500 customers. Tippy Dam was known for its innovation and design when built, but today, most of the people you LITTLE MANISTEE WEIR 6 will find around Tippy are not there for a tour. They are there fishing GPS: 44.197245, -86.197513 the very popular “tailwaters” (the water immediately flowing from the The Little Manistee Weir is an egg-take and salmon harvest facility which dam) trying to land that large Salmon or Steelhead. Tippy’s backwaters, is operated by the Fisheries Division-Michigan Department of Natural almost twice the size of Hodenpyl’s, is home to many outdoor Resources. The weir is used to block fish on the Little Manistee River in recreation opportunities such as fishing, boating, and camping along the the spring and fall of the year. Steelhead eggs are taken in the spring and shores. eggs are taken in the fall at the Little Manistee weir. The eggs taken at the weir are sent to State Fish Hatcheries where they are The best place to view the dam is on the northern side, where there is a raised and stocked all over Michigan. Eggs are also supplied to several boat launch area, kayak portage and parking area. This area is also other states. This is a frequent drop-in location for kayakers and frequently visited by fishermen during peak river fishing seasons. paddlers looking to venture out on the Little Manistee River. The little Manistee River Weir is also an Explore the Shores site, and more You may also reach Tippy Dam from the south via Tippy Dam Road information is available online at VisitManisteeCounty.com. off of M-55, however, no vehicles or pedestrians are allowed to cross the Dam, therefore, to easily continue to the next attractions on the list, Since you are deep in the heart of the , we we recommend viewing Tippy Dam from the northern side. recommend backtracking out to Stronach Road where you will continue East to M-55. Turn East, and head for the Pine River Crossing and To reach the final pair of destinations on this tour, continue East on Cooley Bridge, one of the most spectacular iron bridge structures in Coates Highway to Marilla Road. Turn North and continue until you Michigan. reach Beers Road. Turn East on Beers Road and continue until you reach Hodenpyl Dam Road. Hodenpyl Dam Road will take you to the COOLEY BRIDGE 7 parking and portage area on the north side of the dam (the best side to view the dam). GPS: 44.222940, -85.904557 The Mortimer E. Cooley Bridge is one of the few “high-level bridges” in Michigan. It is one of Michigan's more rare truss bridge HODENPYL DAM 10 types with its ornate v-lacing and lattice framework. Many people will GPS: 44.364065, -85.820260 cross this bridge unaware of the substructure below the road. It really is worth your time to get out of the car and check it out. The quality of Completed in 1925, Hodenpyl Dam is part of Consumers Energy’s The Manistee River Train Bridge is a classic this bridge is so high, that local and state officials created a boardwalk network of 13 hydroelectric dams in Northern Lower Michigan. truss bridge used for years to transport pedes- and pathway to the underside of the bridge so visitors could admire the Hodenpyl Dam was named after Anton G. Hodenpyl, one of the found- trians and freight across rivers and gorges. engineering from the river level. This is a must see attraction if you are ers of what was then Consumers Power. It produces up to 17,000 This bridge, perhaps not unique to the drawn to engineering marvels. kilowatts (about 48 million kilowatt-hours per year), enough electricity untrained eye, has many unique architectural to serve the annual power needs of 5,000 Michigan households. When details such as the dropped bottom truss The Cooley Bridge was originally constructed in 1934 by the Wisconsin Hodenpyl Dam was created, it flooded an area known as “Fletcher chord and unusual detailing on the bridges Bridge and Iron Company and underwent major rehabilitation to Valley” which is now known as Hodenpyl Dam Pond. The pond is struts. The best location to view this bridge is preserve the structure in 1989. approximately 8.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. The Federal Electric from the parking area in the Instalaunch Regulatory Commission mandated that the land surrounding the pond Campground area. HIGH BRIDGE 8 be used for outdoor recreation. Today many boating and watersports enthusiasts frequent the area throughout the summer months. It is a GPS: 44.267207, -86.014130 Continue North on US-31 to the M-55 fantastic area to spend the day with your boat and a group of friends, intersection and proceed east to Eastlake While High Bridge is no longer at this specific location, a marker relaxing on the water. S T E E C O U N I N A T Y M VISITMANISTEECOUNTY VisitManisteeCounty.com

Just to the north and west of the dam, you will find the “Little Mac” pedestrian foot bridge that spans the Big Manistee River and connects the Manistee River Trail and North Country Trail loop. You can hike down the footpath from the dam to get here, or drive to Upper River Road, just off of Hodenpyl Dam Road and park in the parking area and walk down to the bridge.

LITTLE MAC FOOT BRIDGE 11 GPS: 44.365589, -85.826606 Part of the 11-mile trail project to create the Manistee River Trail in 1992, the Suspension Bridge, or “Little Mac” Foot Bridge is a 245’ pedestrian foot bridge completed in 1996. It is the largest wooden suspension bridge in the lower peninsula.

COOLEY BRIDGE AS IT LOOKS TODAY

LITTLE MAC FOOT BRIDGE CROSSING THE BIG MANISTEE RIVER

Completed in 1925, Hodenpyl Dam is part of Consumers Energy’s network of 13 hydroelectric dams in Northern Lower Michigan. Hodenpyl Dam was named after Anton G. Hodenpyl, one of the found- ers of what was then Consumers Power. It produces up to 17,000 kilowatts (about 48 million kilowatt-hours per year), enough electricity to serve the annual power needs of 5,000 Michigan households. When Hodenpyl Dam was created, it flooded an area known as “Fletcher Valley” which is now known as Hodenpyl Dam Pond. The pond is approximately 8.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. The Federal Electric Regulatory Commission mandated that the land surrounding the pond be used for outdoor recreation. Today many boating and watersports HIGH BRIDGE: 1890s enthusiasts frequent the area throughout the summer months. It is a HIGH BRIDGE WAS A CRITICAL BRIDGE FOR THE RAILROAD OPERATIONS fantastic area to spend the day with your boat and a group of friends, IN THE REGION AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY - Courtesy of Manistee Co. Historical Museum relaxing on the water.