There’s an old blue bridge standing tall in a Fond du Lac park that might have you wondering: where’s the water? The bridge has rails that look like just the thing to keep someone safe on a river crossing, but there’s no river or even a stream below – just grass alongside a park trail. So why was this bridge placed at this seemingly random location? What is its purpose? Read on to find out.

You’ll find the bridge in Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park. It’s the largest park in Fond du Lac, covering 400 acres, and it's tucked into the southern end of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin's largest inland lake.
Google / Louis Ottmer
The park is a tranquil spot with multiple islands, a train ride for kids, and an old lighthouse. Walking paths and trails lace the park, and one of them is lined by this mysterious blue bridge.
Google / Julie Frechette
The bridge has a long history and, as it turns out, it has been on the move. The rare, early bowstring-style bridge was first constructed around 1870 to cross the Fond du Lac River at Scott Street.
Facebook / Friends of Lakeside Park

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While the exact history is a little murky, at some point, the Scott Street bridge was reconstructed and in 1920 the old steel bridge was moved to Lakeside Park. It became a park pathway from Promen Drive to Fountain Island.
Tripadvisor / MFer12
The bridge is both beautiful and historic. It’s believed to have been built by Milwaukee Bridge & Iron Company and it’s outfitted with Keystone and Phoenix columns. The bright blue color is striking.
Facebook / Friends of Lakeside Park
Eventually, the bridge started to show its age and was in need of rehabilitation. Engineers determined it would be much cheaper to simply build a new bridge. So a new bridge was built, and the old bridge was placed on solid ground, for display purposes, when the new one took its place.
Tripadvisor / Bruce A

The old bridge structure is very rare. The park is a pleasant place to stroll and pay a visit to the old 1870s structure. It’s still painted blue, so it’s hard to miss. Learn more about Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park here. Interested in old ruins from the past? Here’s a mysterious site you’ll want to visit.

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Lakeside Park, 555 N Park Ave, Fond du Lac, WI 54935, USA