Destination Illinois: The Covered Bridges of Central Illinois

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — To make sure grain, corn, and other goods bought to exactly where they needed to go, bridges have been needed to make that occur. Some of those bridges have been lined bridges that nonetheless stand to this working day. Place Illinois’ Jack Gerfen requires us on a tour to four bridges in Central Illinois.

Lake of the Woods Lined Bridge

What was after a critical way to cross a river is now a well known form of sight-looking at desired destination.

And whilst some of the lined bridges in Central Illinois are way too outdated, this a single in Mahomet, Illinois is a person you can still travel above.

Jack Gerfen, Mahomet, Illinois for Spot Illlinois

Their development not only can make them photogenic, it is crucial to their style and design to distribute the body weight to carry a significant load. Some might not serve the initial reason they ended up developed to do, but they do give us a explanation to choose the backroads for a search back again in historical past.

Even though Indiana is acknowledged for their covered bridges, 4 of these bridges even now exist in Central Illinois.

SUGAR CREEK Included BRIDGE

Sugar Creek Coated Bridge to the southeast of Chatham is the oldest just one on the record. Designed by Thomas Black in 1827, it spans 110 feet more than the Sugar Creek. It has been shut to website traffic due to the fact 1984, but can be savored in a park on foot. With it only minutes from the Glenarm exit off of I-55, it is simple to get to.

THOMPSON MILL Coated BRIDGE

About an hour and 20 minutes southeast from there is the Thompson Mill Lined Bridge in Cowden.

It’s only in Central Illinois that you are going to come across the Thompson Mill bridge. That actually is the narrowest covered bridge in all of Illinois.

Jack Gerfen, Cowden, Illinois for Place Illinois

Constructed in 1868 at a value of $2,500, this bridge crosses the Kaskaskia River to deliver the nearby Thompson Mill an entry stage to the crucial Springfield to Effingham route. Now, you can only walk throughout it.

From the narrowest included bridge, we will go 50 minutes east to the longest included bridge in the point out, the Cumberland County Protected Bridge next Previous Highway 40.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY Covered BRIDGE

Spanning 200 feet in excess of the Embarass River, this is the newest bridge. It was done in 2000 to replicate the first Jackson Coated Bridge from 1832 that suffered several washouts. It was even element of the route for the 2021 Incredibly hot Rod Power Tour!

The closing bridge on the record is an additional hour and 20 minutes to the north, in the stunning Lake of the Woods Forest Protect in Mahomet.

Just a wonderful way to get the group and the space involved. Individuals arrive here for shots, no matter if it be for senior images, spouse and children pics, prom.

Lisa Sprinkle, Advertising and marketing Manager, Champaign County Forest Protect District

LAKE OF THE WOODS Protected BRIDGE

This bridge was initially constructed in the 1960s about 18 months to join the two sides of the forest preserve. Created by College of Illinois Civil Engineering teacher German Gurfinkel, it will bear some roof renovations later this 12 months and is possible the busiest in conditions of targeted visitors on the checklist.