Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge
National Register of Historic Places

Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge

Ira Township, St. Clair County, Michigan
Listed
January 28, 2000
Type
Structure
Period
Modern
Ref No.
00000011

About this property

The Vernier Street–Swan Creek Bridge was a historic bridge carrying Vernier Street over Swan Creek in Ira Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. It was at one time one of the oldest remaining curved-chord though girder bridges, a design unique to the state of Michigan. The bridge was demolished in 2014. In 1914, the bridge that until that point spanned Swan Creek at this site was determined to be unsafe. The local community approached the St. Clair County Road Commission and requested a new bridge be built. The Commission did preliminary work, and by October 1915 estimated a cost of $8000 to replace the bridge. However, the project was delayed, and canceled in late 1916. However, the project was revived in 1921/22 by the state of Michigan. The Michigan State Highway Department constructed two trunk line bridges over Swan Creek, both of which were 50-foot concrete girder spans with 22-foot roadway. One was Rose Construction of Marine City for $9,959.20, and the other, at this location, was constructed by contractor J. E. Mason of In 1932, the state highway (now designated M-29) was diverted farther southward, and the small section bypassed, including the bridge, was re-designated Vernier Street. The bridge was slated for demolition in 2014, and eventually demolished in the summer of that year. The bridge was a concrete through-girder bridge with a curved top chord. Each of the solid concrete girders contained a recessed panel which held six smaller recessed panels. The endposts supporting the girder endposts were topped with a slanted pedestal, two of which contained plaques identifying the bridge as a state highway department trunkline bridge constructed during the tenure of Frank F. Rogers's as commissioner. The bridge spanned 45 feet, and carried a 30-foot-wide deck with a 22-foot-wide roadway.

Location

Ira Township, St. Clair County, Michigan
42.68058, -82.65811

Categories

ENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge

This page lists Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Colony Tower Complex
Industrial
4.3 mi
Colony Tower Complex (Boundary Increase)
Industrial
4.3 mi
Smith, LeRoy, House
Industrial
7.8 mi
Kolping Park and Chapel
Listed
8.2 mi
Indian Trail Road-Belle River Bridge
Industrial
8.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Longwoods (Michigan area pursuit)
1814Early Republic
9.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge listed on the National Register?

Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge?

Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge?

The period of significance for Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge is recorded as the modern era.

Can I research the history near Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in St. Clair County

Historic places, battles, and census history across St. Clair County.

Explore St. ClairCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Vernier Street-Swan Creek Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report