County Road 510 Old Bridge
I’ll be honest; I don’t know much about bridges, yet have always been fascinated by them. While browsing maps to look for interesting places to check out while camping near Marquette, the old CR 510 Bridge piqued my interest.
This particular bridge was moved to its present location in the early 1920s. It wasn’t built there—it was actually moved from a different place—most likely Pennsylvania. In addition to probably coming from a road that crossed the Allegheny River, the bridge utilizes a Pennsylvania trust architectural style. It’s not very wide—coming in at just under 20 feet across, but boats over 270 feet in length, making it the longest bridge of this style in the state of Michigan.
In 2010 a new bridge was constructed to allow CR 510 to cross the second portion of the Dead River Storage Basin. The old bridge was left intact and is now used as a pedestrian bridge. You can see the new bridge from the old bridge, and the new bridge offers a nice view of the river and the historic bridge. There isn’t much foot traffic in this part of Marquette, but it’s a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. There’s fishing line caught on the powerlines, signifying that the bridge is a popular fishing spot. Friends have fished the larger storage basin upriver for smallies, pike, and walleye–so I assume the lower basin has a similar habitat.
In addition to fishing, this is a popular place for bridge jumping. Although I cannot condone such an action, it does happen here. I’d peg the shortest jump at around 10 feet, and I’ve heard rumors of folks jumping from the very top of the bridge, which has to be pushing 75 feet. There’s a rope swing of sorts near the middle, which, I have to admit, terrifies me. Again, I cannot condone these actions, especially given that the body of water below can vary because it’s dammed.
Whether you’re a history buff, fancy a walk, or just like old stuff, the Old CR 510 Bridge has something for you. If you’ve been driving a ton, it’s a nice place to stretch your legs, and we even saw a few wildflowers on our trek. What isn’t to like about that?
