Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)
historic bridge in Marshall, Michigan, USA
The Marshall Avenue Bridge is a bridge carrying Marshall Avenue over Rice Creek in Marshall, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The construction of the bridge, as a multi-span stone masonry arch type, is extremely rare in Michigan because of the lack of good sources of stone material. It is the longest known stone highway bridge in Michigan.
History
The Marshall Avenue Bridge was likely constructed in about 1899, using material from a deposit of sandstone near Marshall. The bridge was renovated in 1951, with much of its surface coated with concrete, greatly detracting from the aesthetics of the original design. It was renovated again in 1996, and the concrete was removed. The bridge is in good repair and open to traffic.
Description
The Marshall Avenue Bridge is a stone masonry-arch bridge with three 25-foot spans. It has a 42-foot-wide deck, which holds a 35-foot-wide roadway and two sidewalks on either side.
The public source identifies “Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)” as historic bridge in Marshall, Michigan, USA. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Marshall, Avenue and Bridge.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)”, the useful work is to connect “historic bridge in Marshall, Michigan, USA” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 5, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q63347773. Authority coordinates are 42.267, -84.954. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2001, 1899, 1951 and 1996.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan) primary sources, Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan) archive and Marshall research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Marshall Avenue Bridge (Marshall, Michigan)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.