Suspension Bridges of Michigan

This is a list of all 17 bridges from the suspension bridge inventory for Michigan in USA. Wherever you see a Bridgemeister ID number click it to isolate the bridge on its own page.

Related Lists:

1929: Ambassador

Detroit, Michigan, USA and Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Detroit River
Bridgemeister ID:160 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1929
Name:Ambassador
Location:Detroit, Michigan, USA and Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Crossing:Detroit River
Coordinates:42.31210 N 83.07402 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Jonathan Jones, McClintic-Marshall
References:AAJ, AMB, GBD, PTS2
Use:Vehicular (major highway)
Status:In use (last checked: 2022)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 563.9 meters (1,850 feet)
Deck width:55 feet

Notes:

External Links:

Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz Photo, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1939: Black River Harbor

Ottawa National Forest, Michigan, USA - Black River
Bridgemeister ID:1045 (added 2003-12-06)
Year Completed:1939
Name:Black River Harbor
Location:Ottawa National Forest, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Black River
Coordinates:46.66608 N 90.04611 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:3601st Company CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) Camp Norrie
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 58.8 meters (193 feet)

Notes:

  • Reconstructed, 1968, but appears to have retained its original appearance. Improvements made, 2009.
  • Tom Haapoja provided information about this bridge. His father worked on its construction: "Built in 1938-39. They had a sawmill on site from which they took 'select' lumber for the bridge and boat docking area. I think the sawmill was located on the present-day parking lot. Each anchor for the suspension cables consisted of 44 tons of concrete. The concrete was transported to the forms via wheelbarrows. The construction of the East anchor was difficult because the wheelbarrows travelled uphill, and each were pushed by one man and pulled by another."

    "It was a WPA and CCC effort. The CCC Camp discipline and logistics were provided by the US Army, but the construction supervision was provided by the WPA. About 200 Men from the Norrie CCC camp (Ironwood, Michigan) participated in the construction of the bridge and surrounding park. They worked during the cold of winter and rode to and from Camp Norrie in open trucks. Each trip took 1 1/2 hours. The architect of the bridge was 'Oakey' Johnson. The WPA construction foreman was 'Charlie' Johnson."
Photo by Tom Haapoja Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1957: Mackinac

St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA - Straits of Mackinac
Bridgemeister ID:210 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1957
Name:Mackinac
Also Known As:Mighty Mac
Location:St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Straits of Mackinac
Coordinates:45.820533 N 84.727667 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:David B. Steinman
References:ADDS, BBR, BC3, BFL, BLD, BMA, COB, GBD, LAB, MACB, MM, WOT
Use:Vehicular (four-lane)
Status:In use (last checked: 2022)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1 x 1,158.2 meters (3,800 feet)
Side Spans:2 x 548.6 meters (1,800 feet)

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Photo by Daniel Kostrubiec Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

2022: Hidden Lake Gardens

Tipton, Michigan, USA
Bridgemeister ID:7577 (added 2023-04-23)
Year Completed:2022
Name:Hidden Lake Gardens
Location:Tipton, Michigan, USA
At or Near Feature:Hidden Lake Gardens
Principals:Phoenix Experiential Designs
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2023)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Annotated Citations:

External Links:


(footbridge)

Bad Axe vicinity, Michigan, USA
Bridgemeister ID:2484 (added 2008-12-22)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Bad Axe vicinity, Michigan, USA
Coordinates:43.78363 N 82.94364 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:Extant (last checked: 2008)
Main Span:1

Photo by Richard Ehrenberg

(footbridge)

Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
Bridgemeister ID:2411 (added 2007-12-25)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
At or Near Feature:Eastman Springs
Use:Footbridge

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

(footbridge)

Burton, Michigan, USA - Kearsley Creek
Bridgemeister ID:3086 (added 2019-10-27)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Burton, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Kearsley Creek
At or Near Feature:For-Mar Nature Preserve
Coordinates:43.039600 N 83.607800 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1

(footbridge)

Deer Park vicinity, Michigan, USA - Two Hearted River
Bridgemeister ID:1834 (added 2005-07-02)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Deer Park vicinity, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Two Hearted River
At or Near Feature:North Country Trail
Coordinates:46.69857 N 85.422817 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2005)
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

(footbridge)

Dexter vicinity, Michigan, USA - Mill Creek
Bridgemeister ID:1483 (added 2004-09-04)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Dexter vicinity, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Mill Creek
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2007)
Main Cables:Wire

Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz Photo by William Bridges

(footbridge)

Jenison, Michigan, USA
Bridgemeister ID:2927 (added 2019-09-15)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Jenison, Michigan, USA
At or Near Feature:Grand Ravines Park
Coordinates:42.946855 N 85.879794 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:


(footbridge)

Presque Isle Falls vicinity, Michigan, USA - Presque Isle River
Bridgemeister ID:1197 (added 2004-01-27)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Presque Isle Falls vicinity, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Presque Isle River
At or Near Feature:Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use

(footbridge)

Richfield Center, Michigan, USA - Flint River
Bridgemeister ID:821 (added 2003-05-31)
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Richfield Center, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Flint River
At or Near Feature:Richfield Park
Coordinates:43.105184 N 83.530717 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

(pipeline bridge)

Dearborn, Michigan, USA - Rouge River
Bridgemeister ID:7125 (added 2022-06-17)
Name:(pipeline bridge)
Location:Dearborn, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Rouge River
Coordinates:42.290501 N 83.166260 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Pipeline
Status:Extant (last checked: 2022)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Main Span:1 x 76 meters (249.3 feet) estimated

Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz

Little Mac

Marilla vicinity, Michigan, USA - Manistee River
Bridgemeister ID:1316 (added 2004-04-18)
Name:Little Mac
Location:Marilla vicinity, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Manistee River
Coordinates:44.3654 N 85.826467 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2007)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 50.9 meters (167 feet)

Notes:

  • This is the third Michigan suspension footbridge I've found nicknamed "Little Mac".
  • Stephen Quintana writes: "One of my first projects was to be the inspector on the construction of this bridge. This was somewhere between 1994 and 1996. I remember the contractor's only experience with any Forest Service projects was installing some toilets for us. He had never done anything like this before. I wasn't on the job site the day he pulled the cables across the river, so I asked him how he did it. He said he used a fishing pole with a small weight and cast it across the river. Then he used that to pull a larger rope, then a much larger rope, then finally the cables. I thought they did a pretty good job on this bridge. I remember the cost was somewhere around $100,000 for this project."
Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell

Little Mac

Reed City, Michigan, USA - Hersey River
Bridgemeister ID:1055 (added 2003-12-13)
Name:Little Mac
Location:Reed City, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Hersey River
Coordinates:43.88466 N 85.51286 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2007)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 45.7 meters (150 feet)

Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell

O Kun-de-kun Falls

Bruce Crossing vicinity, Michigan, USA - Baltimore River
Bridgemeister ID:2708 (added 2019-06-16)
Name:O Kun-de-kun Falls
Location:Bruce Crossing vicinity, Michigan, USA
Crossing:Baltimore River
Coordinates:46.651432 N 89.151181 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2021)
Main Cables:Wire (steel)
Suspended Spans:1

Photo by David Denenberg

Swinging

Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA
Bridgemeister ID:259 (added before 2003)
Name:Swinging
Location:Iron Mountain, Michigan, USA
At or Near Feature:Twin Falls vicinity
Use:Footbridge
Main Cables:Wire

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg


Do you have any information or photos for these bridges that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.


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