The original bridge at this location was built in 1896 by Richard Felt.
It was the first Mississippi River roadway bridge built between Lake
Itasca and Bemidji. The bridge fell into disrepair after the Larson
Bridge was built on nearby County Road 2, but was still used by the Felt
family for access to the northern part of their farm.
In the late 1990s, grandson Kenneth Felt decided to rebuild the bridge.
He constructed a replica that looks very much like the original bridge, but
has a structure that is modified from a flatbed truck trailer. One feature
of the original bridge that is included on the replica is the timber A-frame
and steel suspension rods.
The bridge is located on the Felt family farm. There is an access trail
leading off of Country Road 2. The Felt family apparently does not mind
people visiting the bridge. The trail leading to the bridge is not
improved, and can only be traveled when it is dry, such as the mid and
late summer months. The photo above is the first view of the bridge when
approaching the structure from the west side of the river.
The photo above is looking northwest across the bridge deck. The river
flows to the northeast at this location. As a result, the current is
flowing towards the right side of the photo. The photo below is a close
view of the suspension mechanism. Given the light weight of the timbers,
this system looks to be largely decorative.
These two photos are views of the downriver face of the bridge looking
towards the north and the east. The wood retaining walls that hold back
the abutment are seen under the bridge.
The photo above is a profile view of the Felt Bridge from a vantage point
just west of the structure. The photo below is plaque that is mounted
near the bridge.