Stone Arch Bridge

Our last day in Minneapolis was spent touring the campuses of Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. The former is likely too small and the later most definitely too large for Nico. Maya tagged along and seemed very interested in the whole process. Carleton appears to be a serious possibility in Nico’s mind so our college visits and interviews were not without a positive outcome. With a few hours to kill before our flight we enjoyed a superb lunch at a cheese shop just off campus (Jeanine would have loved this place and despite initial resistance from the kids both admitted that I had made a good dining choice – not something I have a great aptitude for). Later we visited the Stone Arch Bridge which offers great views of the city and I took time for photography while Nico and Maya hiked one of the river trails. Positioned between the 3rd Avenue Bridge and the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge, the Stone Arch Bridge was built in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J. Hill for his Great Northern Railway, and accessed the former passenger station located about a mile to the west, on the west bank of the river. The structure is now used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge.