they were used to, but a skilled foreman helped to organize the work. The abutments, piers, and wing walls were built with a variety of gray limestone locally quarried in St. Paul, while the voussoirs, ring stones, coping and spandrel walls were built with a buff-colored limestone quarried in Kasota, Minnesota. Construction on the bridge began in September 1883, with Michael O'Brien of St. Paul doing general contracting for excavation, foundation, and abutments. McArthur Brothers of Chicago was responsible for the final construction of the bridge, which opened for traffic on December 18, 1884. Truesdell's engineering colleagues recognized his achievements, even if the general public soon forgot the significance of the bridge. The Association of Engineering Societies Journal characterized the bridge as "the most important piece of masonry in the city" upon his death in 1909. The railroad tracks have since been removed, but the bridge still stands. Today, the Bruce Vento Regional Trail follows the former railroad line under the bridge. Gallery References Bridges in Saint Paul, Minnesota Bridges completed in 1884 Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks National Register of Historic Places in Saint Paul, Minnesota Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Skew bridges Stone arch bridges in the United States