Thompson Mill Covered Bridge
United States historic place / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge which crosses the Kaskaskia River 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Cowden, Illinois. The 160-foot-4-inch (48.87 m) Howe truss bridge is only 10 feet 7 inches (3.23 m) wide, making it the narrowest covered bridge in Illinois. The bridge was constructed in 1868; it was built in Michigan, shipped to Shelbyville, and hauled to the river crossing by horse-drawn wagons. The road the bridge carried was an important transportation corridor connecting Springfield, Taylorville, and Effingham. The bridge also provided area residents access to the Thompson Mill, a corn mill and sawmill which operated from 1843 to 1914.[2]
Thompson Mill Covered Bridge | |
Nearest city | Cowden, Illinois |
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Coordinates | 39°15′30″N 88°49′5″W |
Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
Built | 1868 (1868) |
NRHP reference No. | 75000675[1] |
Added to NRHP | March 13, 1975 |
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1975.[1] It is now one of only five historic covered bridges remaining in Illinois. The bridge has been closed to automobile traffic but remains open to pedestrians.[3]