On May 1st of 1856, a bridge was built that crossed the river from Mankato to Southbend. The cost was $10,000. It was 80 feet long and 16 feet wide with five spans. This was the first bridge of any importance constructed in Blue Earth County. In 1869, the Blue Earth Bridge was erected over the Blue Earth River in West Mankato. It was a wood howe truss bridge and was 252 feet long. In 1870, the Tivoli Bridge was built, it was also a wood howe truss type bridge. It was 104 feet long. In 1873, an iron arch bridge, Kearns Bridge was constructed. It was 190 feet. This bridge was located in Mankato and Southbend. In 1883, a 150 foot iron truss bridge was built in Mankato Township. The name of this bridge was Kennedy.

The original Main Street Bridge was an iron truss bridge. Permission to build it was granted in 1878 and the Legislature authorized the issuing of bonds to pay for it. The total expense was about $30,000. Mankato donated $15,000, the county gave $10,000 and the town of Belgrade gave $3500. Construction began in 1879. A section of this bridge pivoted to allow steamboats to pass, however, this was rarely used and was secured to the rest with a chain. In 1897 footbridges were built to increase pedestrian safety. The new Main Street bridge was dedicated in Oct. 1917. This bridge had sidewalks on both sides and a streetcar track in the middle. This bridge became too congested and, in 1986, building on the Veterans Memorial Bridge began.

Sources:
Hughes, Thomas. History of Blue Earth County. pgs. 307. Middle West Publishing Company Publishers. Chicago.1976.
The Heritage of Blue Earth County Minnesota. pgs. 258-259. Curtis Media Corporation. Dallas Texas. 1990.
Background