Chain of Rocks Bridge
National Register of Historic Places

Chain of Rocks Bridge

Madison, Madison County, Illinois
Listed
December 1, 2006
Type
Structure
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
06001091

About this property

The Chain of Rocks Bridge spans the Mississippi River on the north edge of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The eastern end of the bridge is on Chouteau Island (part of Madison, Illinois), while the western end is on the Missouri shoreline. Constructed in 1929, the bridge has an unusual 22-degree bend occurring at the middle of the crossing, which was found to be necessary during construction due to both the presence of a water intake and the inability of parts of the bedrock of the river to carry the weight of the bridge. Originally a motor route, the bridge was for a time the route used by U.S. Route 66 (US 66) to cross over the Mississippi, but the bridge now carries only walking and biking trails over the river; the New Chain of Rocks Bridge carries vehicular traffic to the north. The old route to the bridge is now called Chain of Rocks Road and ends near Roman Road. Parking is available at the start of the now-pedestrian route. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Location

Madison, Madison County, Illinois
38.76128, -90.17369

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONENGINEERING
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.

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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Granite City YMCA
Industrial
4.3 mi
Emmert-Zippel House
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4.6 mi
Alton National Cemetery
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8.9 mi
Hotel Stratford
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9 mi
Yakel House and Union Brewery
Civil War
9.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of the Sink Hole
1815Early Republic
6.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chain of Rocks Bridge listed on the National Register?

Chain of Rocks Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 2006.

What type of historic resource is Chain of Rocks Bridge?

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

What is the period of significance for Chain of Rocks Bridge?

The period of significance for Chain of Rocks Bridge is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Chain of Rocks Bridge?

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