Once numbering more than 10,000 in the U.S., covered bridges have dwindled to 750 with the majority in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vermont, Indiana, New Hampshire and Oregon. While Illinois ones don't get the recognition of Iowa's Madison County bridges or Indiana's Parke County's Covered Bridge Festival, our state's bridges are worth a visit.
Of the 90 known covered bridges in Illinois, only seven historic ones remain with six of those open to pedestrian or vehicle traffic, according to Emilie Land, cultural resources specialist at the Illinois Department of Transportation. The seventh is on private property.
The Sugar Creek one in Glenarm is closest to Springfield and is popular with visitors traveling on nearby historic Route 66, she said.
A few hours' drive can lead you to several more. The Cumberland County Bridge near Greenup and two near Princeton are good bets. Add in ones at Gilson, Cowden, Gladstone and Chester and you can head in almost any direction for a look. Plus, Lake of Woods near Mahomet has a newer version.
"While covered bridges date back centuries elsewhere in the world, the earliest in Illinois were constructed in the first half of the 19th century," Land sayid. "One of the most popular designs – the Burr arch truss – was patented in 1817." The state's oldest covered bridge still in existence is Little Mary's near Chester, built in 1854.
According to experts, bridge builders have to rely on trusses for support to make a covered bridge authentic, and covers reinforce trusses to make the bridges stronger. Red was a common color for bridges originally painted in the 1800s because the ingredients needed to yield that color – milk, rust and lime – were cheap and easy to get.
Legend says young people often stole a kiss inside a covered bridge or made a wish before entering one for the first time, leading to the nicknames "kissing bridge" or "wishing bridge." Some said the barn-like appearance pacified animals scared to cross a river, and protecting the roadway from weather made bridges last longer.
Their numbers fell as modern vehicles needed wider and taller clearances, multiple lanes and higher weight limits. Now most function as scenic spots and photo opportunities rather than as the only way to cross waterways.
"They are a testament to our engineering history, and history buffs, bridge enthusiasts and the public alike enjoy them," Land said. "Five of the remaining seven historic covered bridges in Illinois are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a statement of their historical significance."
The 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County, based in Iowa, and the annual Parke County, Indiana, Covered Bridge Festival have added to the mystique. The movie featured the love story of stars Merle Streep and Clint Eastwood, based on the same-named novel by Robert James Waller. Streep was nominated for best actress at the Academy Awards for her performance.
Madison County, southwest of Des Moines, has six extant bridges that became a popular destination after the film's success.
Over in Indiana, Parke County claims to host the state's largest festival every fall with this year's Covered Bridge Festival scheduled for Oct. 11-20. The county, close to the Illinois border southeast of Danville, boasts 31 historic bridges and calls itself the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World."
Maintaining these bridges and those in Illinois is not particularly difficult or costly, according to Land. Once converted to pedestrian-only use, the bridges don't suffer the wear and tear caused by vehicles. New wood shingle roofs are a common repair.
Sometimes, however, weather or vehicles cause extensive damage. Land said a 2023 tornado in Chester hit Little Mary's Covered Bridge and ripped its roof off. That same year, a semi-truck heavily damaged the Red Covered Bridge outside Princeton, and that bridge is still closed to traffic.
Fortunately, plenty of other options for viewing these historic gems still exist for your fall photos.
Princeton also hosts the Captain Swift Covered Bridge, and motorists can enjoy two lanes of traffic under it. A nearby parking lot affords a good place for photographers.
The Cumberland County Bridge near Greenup, although reconstructed and therefore not included on the historic bridges' list, is an official site along the Historic National Road that runs from Cumberland, Maryland, to East St. Louis. The bridge spans the Embarras River and has one lane for motorists and walkways for pedestrians. A parking lot and informational signs are perfect for taking pictures.
In Shelby County, the Thompson Mill Covered Bridge outside Cowden is open only to foot traffic. Built in 1868, it is Illinois' narrowest covered bridge. Knox County's Wolf Covered Bridge near Gilson is for one-lane traffic only over the Spoon River with pedestrians discouraged from crossing.
Pedestrians – but not vehicles – are welcome to cross both the Oquawka Wagon Bridge at Gladstone and the Sugar Creek Covered Bridge near Glenarm. Both have parking lots and picnic areas.
The Sugar Creek Bridge is the shortest covered bridge in Illinois that is open to the public, just 58 feet, but still plenty of room to sneak that kiss.
For more information, IDOT recommends www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cbil.htm.
Mary Bohlen writes about travel for IT and other publications. She has been interested in covered bridges since her childhood visits to Lake of Woods near Mahomet.
