The history of the Phillips Street Bridge: it was completed in 1904 and was collapsed in 1935 and 1963

Several construction projects were completed in Rhinelander this year. One of these projects involved the repair of a water main located behind the Rhinelander Paper Mill, that led to the temporary closure of the Phillip Street Bridge. The Phillips Street Bridge was constructed in 1904, after the completion of the Davenport Street Bridge in 1890. It is a two-span bridge that was intended to traverse the Wisconsin River spanning the area where the dam is situated. This bridge has experienced a collapse twice in its history.

The initial collapse of the bridge occurred on Sunday, June 10th, 1935, when a State Conservation Department truck towing heavy equipment attempted to cross the Wisconsin River. LaVern Larsen of Tomahawk wisely avoided the Davenport Street Bridge due to its low clearance and, upon inquiring about the Phillip Street Bridge, was informed he could cross at his own risk. Since the original bridge was designed for horses and wagons, it couldn't withstand the weight of Mr. Larsen's 20 tons of equipment. Fortunately, he emerged uninjured while the bridge components were dismantled, the steelworks straightened, and repairs carried out.

Nearly 30 years later, on Monday, September 9th, 1963, a Musson gravel truck, driven by Leon Kukanich of Eagle River, experienced a similar incident on the same west span. While the bridge collapsed beneath the truck, quick action from Leon prevented it from falling into the canal. Two pedestrians on the bridge, Barbara Bruyette and Lois Lemmens, managed to escape their injury.

Recognizing the bridge's precarious state, the City of Rhinelander had been working towards its replacement since 1962. Representative Alvin E O’Konski was enlisted to secure federal funding for the new Phillip Street Bridge. The collapse sped up the process of installing a new bridge, something that was celebrated with a dedication ceremony on July 9th, 1964. As the current bridge approaches its 60th anniversary, the hope is that it continues to serve its purpose without a recurrence of history's past incidents.