Historic Garretson Truss Bridge, South Dakota
An old steel truss bridge spans Split Rock Creek near the town of Garretson, South Dakota, carrying a narrow, weathered wooden deck over the rocky gorge below. Built in the early 20th century, this Pratt through truss design reflects an era when such riveted steel frameworks connected small Midwestern towns before the advent of modern concrete spans. Its utilitarian geometry and riveted latticework remain intact, framed by the lush, tree-lined valley of Split Rock Creek—a setting that once hosted flour mills, quarries, and river crossings essential to the region’s early development. The bridge now stands as a quiet relic of rural American engineering, linking history and landscape on the edge of the prairie.
