National Register of Historic Places

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge

Cowden, Shelby County, Illinois
Listed
March 13, 1975
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75000675

About this property

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. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1975. 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.

Location

Cowden, Shelby County, Illinois
39.25837, -88.81812

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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Clarksburg Schoolhouse
Industrial
6.3 mi
Tallman, Horace M., House
Industrial
10.3 mi
Shelbyville Historic District
Listed
10.5 mi
Chautauqua Auditorium
Industrial
11.1 mi
Wright, Dr. Charles M., House
Industrial
13.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Thompson Mill Covered Bridge listed on the National Register?

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Thompson Mill Covered Bridge?

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Thompson Mill Covered Bridge?

The period of significance for Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

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