October 19, 1861 Menasha Weekly Manufacturer
In February 1861, the Chicago & North Western Railroad was extended from Oshkosh to Appleton. Its original path was along the west shore of Little Lake Butte des Morts, bypassing Neenah and Menasha. Eventually, the villages of Neenah and Menasha were allowed to pay for the right of way, grading, ties, and bridges to induce the railroad to reroute the line across Doty Island. That would then necessitate building a railroad bridge across Little Lake Butte des Morts for the railroad to continue its journey northward.
That first railroad bridge across Little Lake Butte des Morts had 115 supports spaced about 10 feet apart. Menasha provided $12,000 in municipal bonds for the project. This wooden bridge served unitl 1909 when the railroad announced its plans to double track the main line from Fond du Lac to Green Bay which meant the bridges would then have to be rebuilt using steel and concrete.
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