BRIDGES

In 1871, John Fadden was granted a charter to operate a ferry for 5 years to cross the Red River. It operated as a flat-bottom boat on a rope stretched between East Grand Forks, MN and Grand Forks, ND. Operators and passengers were expected to provide the labor to pull the ferry.

In 1878, the ferry was replaced by a pontoon bridge. The heaviest traffic went across this bridge at the DeMers Avenue location. Captain Alex Griggs owned this bridge and used his 100X30 foot boat to open a way through for steamboats and to close up after they passed. The ferries were still used during high water. The toll to cross on the pontoon bridge was 5 cents for a person, 15 cents for a horse and buggy and 25 cents for a horse team and wagon.

Two permanent bridges were constructed in 1889—The Sorlie Memorial Bridge on DeMers Avenue and another on Minnesota Avenue. This made a total of 3 bridges to cross the Red River, including the Great Northern railroad bridge constructed in 1879-1880.

--information from The Sorlie Memorial Bridge 1929