Garrett Neese/DMG

The Portage Lake Lift Bridge is a Copper Country icon, and is the focus of photographs taken by countless tourists and locals alike. There are, however, many who remember when the lift bridge replaced a previous structure that had a swing span, which is shown in the photograph, taken in the fall of 1957. This bridge, originally constructed in 1898 by the Mineral Range Railroad, which wanted to extend service from Hancock to Houghton. In 1905, the steamer Northern Wave stuck the swing span of the bridge, toppling it into Portage Lake. Clean-up and reconstruction took a year. Over the decades, the bridge experienced several modifications and upgrades until it was replaced in 1959 by the current lift bridge, which took more than year to construct.

Reader responses:

Back when we played little league baseball one of taunts we used on the batter would be ” you swing slower than the Houghton bridge”

— Ray Gervais

The old swing bridge that preceded the current lift bridge. I remember being on the swing portion with my dad.

Courtesy of MTU Archives

— Donald Stipech

My grandma Stevens would tell the stories of the Barnum and Bailey circus elephants crossing this bridge one at a time. It was very entertaining to get as a child watching.

— Julie Beck

This is the old bridge between Houghton and Hancock, before the construction of the current (1959) bridge.

— Daniel C. Boyer

The railroad tracks on the old swing bridge.

— Jane Letvenow Naasko

Houghton.. old swing Bridge

— Dan Salo

The old swing bridge, connecting Houghton and Hancock. Located in almost the same place as our current bridge.

— William B. Hall