The Craigville Gap

Craigville, in far northern Minnesota, was the terminus for two rail lines which primarily handled lumber: the Minneapolis & Rainy River Railway, and the Minnesota Dakota & Western.

The MD&W ran north to Littlefork, while the M&RRy ran south to Deer River; but the lines were separated by the Big Fork River.

You really have to zoom into the map to see the gap!

Requiring a less than 200' bridge to connect the lines, the MD&W purchased building materials to construct the bridge. However, the Great Depression would occur right around this time, significantly damaging both lines' profitability. The MD&W was never able to act upon connecting the lines, and the materials soon rotted.

The M&RR would be abandoned shortly after in 1932.

Today, very few buildings exist within Craigville, which once served as a hub for loggers along both rail lines.

Thanks as always for reading!



Location: Craigville, MN 56639, USA

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