Yellow Bank Church Campground Bridge
built by King Bridge Company
of Cleveland Ohio

It is one of Minnesota's Historic Bridges. It is a single-span through truss  bridge on Township Road 76 over the Yellow Bank River in Lac qui Parle County in Agassiz and Yellow Bank Township, MN. It was built in 1893 and is 119 feet long with an overall width of 15.1 feet.

The Lac qui Parle Commissioners Record for 1893 and 1894 does not clearly mention this specific bridge, so it may have been built entirely at the expense of the Township. The Commissioners Record does mention the King Bridge Company and its agent, "Mr. [Milo A.] Adams," in connection with the construction of one bridge in the southern part of the county and repair of another. The King Bridge Company was one of the first contractors to build an iron bridge in Minnesota (across the Rum River at Anoka in 1870) and its business increased through the 19th century as more local governments chose to have bridges built of iron. The company's agent, M.A. Adams, established his own Minneapolis-based bridge building firm early in the 20th century. He later became one of the most active bridge contractors in Minnesota.

M.A. Adams obtained numerous bridge contracts in Lac qui Parle County. While the largest number of bridges erected by the King Bridge Company were conventional trusses of the Pratt configuration, the company continued to try new truss configurations through the end of the 19th century. The Yellow Bank Church Campground Bridge may have been such an experimental effort. Although not a Thacher truss, the A-frame configuration at the center panel bears similarity to a Thacher. The Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, Ohio, is known to have built several Thacher trusses, but according, to David Simmons, Ohio State Historic Preservation Office, and an expert on the King Bridge Company, the King Bridge Company is not known to have built any bridges of this type. The Yellow Bank Church Campground Bridge may have been an experiment related to the Thacher. At any rate, it is the only truss of its kind in Minnesota. There is, however, an identical truss bridge in Hamlin County, South Dakota, west of Lac qui Parle County.

                                            
Adapted from the National Register of Historic Places nomination form prepared by Fredric L. Quivik, Renewable Technologies, Inc. The Yellow Bank Church Campground Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

"Some of the photographs on this page are for viewing only, they may not be downloaded or copied for commercial purposes" Special thanks to the "State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society" for the above information. Mn/DOT Bridge Number: Bridge No. L-7744.