Stone Bridges of Southern Price County

50 miles round trip

Beginning in Prentice, from Hwy. 8, go south on County Road A/Railroad Street past the VFW War Memorial Plane. When County Road A/Railroad Street turns to the west (right), continue south on Birch Street/County Road C going out of Prentice and you will view the Norlin School House ¾ mile before the Timm’s Hill Park entrance.

Taking Rustic Road 62 west from the park to County Road C, then turning south for 2 miles, wyou will arrive at the first stop on the tour, the J. F. Bergeson single arch stone Bridge. Believed to be built in the early 1900 by Simon Danielson, this bridge is a beautiful example of the Swedish style of arch stonework. After having a culvert put through it and buried under a county road for half a century, it has been unearthed and restored. It can be viewed from the highway, yet the owner of this private property welcomes those interested in this bridge and are always willing to share their vast knowledge of the local history.

Continue south on C to County Road YY. Taking YY east to German Settlement Road, you will see the historic Liberty School and Yesterday House Museum.  Taking German Settlement Road south to Wildwood Ave. east, you will come to the second bridge on the tour. This bridge, being built in 1913 by Carl Albert Meier and sons, is a wonderful example of German stonework.

Continuing east on Wildwood Ave. and turning north on Meier Rd, you will cross the Spirit River. Traveling north on County Road YY, follow the Spirit River to State Hwy. 86. Taking 86 west 1-1/2 miles to River Road, and going north 1 mile, you will find Spirit Memorial Park, the resting spot of the Emily Johnson Bridge (or River Road Bridge). The bridge had to be dismantled and the face stones were saved to erect a monument of this last-remaining double arch stone bridge in Price County. The original contractor for this bridge was Charles Stenfors. The year was either 1908 or 1910. It was of excellent design and workmanship.

Continue north on YY to State Highway 8. Turning west on 8, go 1 mile to River Road, head north for 1.5 miles to The Little Somo and a perfect example of a Finnish single arched stone bridge . This bridge was contracted to John Stenbeck and constructed in 1909. Returning to Hwy. 8 and traveling west you will pass the Finnish Immigrant Monument, Knox Creek Heritage Center, and Knox House.

An alternative route is to begin this tour at Timm’s Hill County Park, located 3 1/2 miles east of Ogema, just south of Hwy. 86 on Rustic Road 62.