1845
The first bridge across Rock River at Indian Ford was built by private subscription, Stephen Allen, builder.
The evidence
“Guy Stoughton, owning land on the river at the foot of Lake Koshkonong, believing that the fall was sufiicient to make a good water-power, contracted with Mr. Hanchett, in the spring of 1845, to build a dam. The dam was completed during that year, and a saw-mill built, which was run for several years, and then converted into a grist-mill. The first bridge across the river was at Indian Ford ; built in 1845, by private subscription ; Stephen Allen, builder.”
1879-history-of-rock-county/13-rock-county-ch07-town-histories.md, PDF p. 504 / book p. 508
Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.
Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources
“Guy Stoughton, owning land on the river at the foot of Lake Koshkongong, believing that the fall was sufficient to make a good water power, contracted with Mr. Hanchett, of Beloit, in the spring of 1845 to build a dam. The dam was completed during that year and a sawmill built, which was run for several years and then converted into a grist mill. The first bridge across the river was at Indian Ford ; it was built in 1845 by private subscription, Stephen Allen, builder. In 1848 the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad was built through the town.”
1908-brown-rock-county/31-smaller-cities-villages-towns.md, Vol. 2, PDF p. 179 / book p. 685
Brown, William Fiske, editor. Rock County, Wisconsin: A New History of Its Cities, Villages, Towns, Citizens and Varied Interests, from the Earliest Times, Up to Date. Chicago: C. F. Cooper & Co., 1908. 2 vols. archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon01brow, archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon02brow.
Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources · may repeat 1879-history-of-rock-county, so not counted as independent