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Cow Ford Bridge

Macon County, Illinois

Photos 

Cow Ford Bridge

Decatur Daily Republican: January 7 1884

BH Photo #511000

Map 

Description 

Built at a cost of $5711.55

Facts 

Overview
Lost Whipple through truss bridge over the Sangamon River on an old alignment of US 36.
Location
Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Status
No longer exists
Builder
- Lomas Forge & Bridge Works of Cincinnati, Ohio
Design
Whipple through truss
Also called
Nelson Park Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+39.83409, -88.91177   (decimal degrees)
39°50'03" N, 88°54'42" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/336411/4411092 (zone/easting/northing)
Inventory number
BH 83831 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (8,392)
Built 1884 (199)
Built during 1880s (2,171)
Decatur, Illinois (36)
Illinois (4,929)
Lomas Forge & Bridge Works (10)
Lost (28,512)
 Lost 1922 (77)
Lost during 1920s (640)
Macon County, Illinois (57)
Owned by county (21,612)
Through truss (16,801)
Truss (35,483)
Whipple truss (465)

Update Log 

  • November 26, 2021: Updated by Tony Dillon: Added general location and other stuff.
  • October 29, 2021: Updated by Tony Dillon: Added info
  • October 29, 2021: New photo from Melissa Brand-Welch
  • December 21, 2018: Updated by Art Suckewer: Added type
  • December 20, 2018: Added by Melissa Brand-Welch

Sources 

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Comments 

Cow Ford Bridge
Posted November 26, 2021, by Elliott Johnson (elliottsgon15 [at] hotmail [dot] com)

I have found a news article from 1955 that mentions the old covered bridge and the old metal bridge being built in the vicinity of of the current US 36 bridge and Nelson Park area. Hopefully giving us some idea of the general location of this bridge. Ive linked to that page in this comment. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14376194/cowford-bridge-1955...

Cowford Bridge
Posted December 21, 2018, by Melissa Brand-Welch (melissabrandwelch [at] msn [dot] com)

Art, thank you. I am surprised you were able to tell anything about this bridge. I'm still looking for another photo !

Cowford Bridge
Posted December 21, 2018, by Art S. (asuckewer [at] knite [dot] com)

Its a late 1870s or early 1880s Whipple, based on the appearance and lightness of structure.

I wish there was more detail so that the builder could be identified. I'd love to find another Columbia Bridge Works product. We've got two identified in IL (one still in existence). I'd love to find more.

I'm still hoping to determine that they built bridges in NJ.

Regards,

Art S.