National Register of Historic Places

Airtight Bridge

Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
Listed
November 30, 1981
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
81000211

About this property

The Airtight Bridge is a steel bridge spanning the Embarras River in Coles County, Illinois, in the United States 8 miles (13 km) north of Charleston, Illinois. The bridge is a Pratt through truss bridge with a steel structure, a wooden deck, and concrete piers. The bridge was built in 1914 by the Decatur Bridge Company and designed by engineer Claude L. James. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. It reportedly got its name from the unnatural stillness encountered when crossing it. In 1980, a dismembered corpse was found on the east bank of the river 30 yards downstream from the bridge, leading to significant local press attention. Police investigated for years, but were unable to determine the identity of the victim until 1992, when DNA testing produced a match to a missing person from Kankakee, Illinois. Once a cold case investigated by the Illinois State Police, the victim's husband was charged with the murder on March 2, 2017.

Location

Charleston, Coles County, Illinois
39.54913, -88.09330

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Airtight Bridge

This page lists Airtight Bridge. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Airtight Bridge report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Stone Quarry Bridge
Industrial
2.8 mi
Harrison St. Bridge
Industrial
4.6 mi
Coles County Courthouse
Industrial
5.7 mi
Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Street Stone Arch Bridges
Civil War
5.8 mi
McFarland House
Industrial
6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Airtight Bridge listed on the National Register?

Airtight Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 30, 1981.

What type of historic resource is Airtight Bridge?

Airtight Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Airtight Bridge?

The period of significance for Airtight Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Airtight Bridge?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Airtight Bridge will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Coles County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Coles County.

Explore ColesCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Airtight Bridge will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report