Illinois Central Stone Arch Railroad Bridges
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Central Stone Arch Railroad Bridges are a trio of limestone
railroad bridge
s in the city of Dixon, Illinois
, United States. The bridges were constructed between 1852 and 1855 as the Illinois Central Railroad
laid its first rail lines across the state of Illinois. They were designed by Robert F. Laing for Laing and Douglas Construction Company, a railroad company contractor during the 1850s. Though each limestone bridge is similar in design, they each have different clearances, ranging between 12 and 15 feet (3.7 m to 4.6 m). The bridges remained in use by the railroad until 1985, and the three bridges were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1987.
as the Illinois Central Railroad
(ICRR) built the first railroad lines crossing the state. In the summer of 1851 the Illinois Central began laying its first section of track, from Mendota
to Amboy
. On March 6, 1852 the route the ICRR would take through Dixon was announced. By 1853 the section was complete and the first locomotive
s rolled into the city of Amboy, 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Dixon, on November 27, 1853. Amboy's depot would eventually become the Northern Division Headquarters for the Illinois Central Railroad.
The section of railroad that came through Dixon was constructed from 1852-1855 partially on a 15 foot (4.6 m) embankment that would cradle the trio of bridges when the project was completed. The bridges were constructed of Galena faced limestone quarried just upstream the Rock River
from Dixon at Dement's Quarry. The first train passed over the trio of bridges along West First, Second and Third Streets on February 1, 1855. The arrival of the train prompted the local media to quip of the train, "like a huge chariot of fire on a monstrous beast, it bellowed along -- high above the dwellings." The bridges remained in use by the railroad until December 21, 1985.
The trio of bridges are all similar in design, but they do have differing clearances, which were based upon the topography
of the area. The bridges were designed by Robert Finley Laing of Laing and Douglas Construction Company; the company contracted for the ICRR from 1852-1853. In addition to designing the three bridges over the city streets in Dixon, Laing also designed the stone piered bridge that the ICRR took over the Rock River on its way to Freeport
. The three stone bridges are set into a 15 foot (4.6 m) high embankment
which stretches from West Seventh Street to the Rock River, the span includes the three stone arch bridges.
The yellowed limestone was cut to fit and is held together using no bond
. Instead there are stone "keys" cut and notched into the rock which prevents the stones from slipping. The stone is of a plain ashlar masonry type and either cut or dimension stone. The stone's facing varies depending upon its location within the structure of the bridges. The arch stones are finished with a chiseled face while the wingwall and arch bases are finished with a rock face. There have been almost no alterations of the original structures besides a limited attempt at tuckpointing
between 1912 and 1915.
Each bridge is of a different height. The bridge spanning First Street has 14 feet (4.3 m) of clearance, the Second Street bridge, also the tallest, has 15 foot (4.6 m) clearance and the Third Street Bridge has a clearance of 12 feet (3.7 m). Because of its short height the Third Street Bridge is sometimes referred to as "Little Sister." All three bridges have the same arch span, 28 feet (8.5 m), but each has a differing depth. The longest of the three bridges is the Little Sister Bridge which has a 38 feet (11.6 m) depth. The bridge at First has a 28 foot (8.5 m) depth and the bridge at Second Street a 34 foot (10.4 m) depth. The wingwalls on each bridge extends 33 feet (10.1 m) at their bases.
and its beginnings. With the arrival of the Illinois Central Railroad to Dixon
, business and industry followed allowing Dixon to grow and prosper. The increase in population in the Dixon area over many years was a direct result of the arrival of the ICRR. There was an attempt by the city government to tear down the arches but the local citizens protested and the bridges were saved. The three bridges were listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
, as part of the same listing, on December 2, 1987.
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
railroad bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s in the city of Dixon, Illinois
Dixon, Illinois
Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,941 at the 2000 census. Named for its founder, John Dixon , it is the county seat of Lee County. Located on the Rock River, Dixon was the boyhood home of former U.S...
, United States. The bridges were constructed between 1852 and 1855 as the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
laid its first rail lines across the state of Illinois. They were designed by Robert F. Laing for Laing and Douglas Construction Company, a railroad company contractor during the 1850s. Though each limestone bridge is similar in design, they each have different clearances, ranging between 12 and 15 feet (3.7 m to 4.6 m). The bridges remained in use by the railroad until 1985, and the three bridges were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1987.
History
The three bridges were built between 1852 and 1855 from locally quarried limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
as the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
(ICRR) built the first railroad lines crossing the state. In the summer of 1851 the Illinois Central began laying its first section of track, from Mendota
Mendota, Illinois
Mendota is a city located in north-central Illinois in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The city has 7,272 residents, and is the fifth largest city in LaSalle County, though recent estimates have shown that the population has decreased to 6,995 residents. It is part of the...
to Amboy
Amboy, Illinois
Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, along the Green River. The population was 2,561 at the 2000 census. The chain of Carson Pirie Scott & Co. began in Amboy when Samuel Carson opened his first dry goods store there in 1854...
. On March 6, 1852 the route the ICRR would take through Dixon was announced. By 1853 the section was complete and the first locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s rolled into the city of Amboy, 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Dixon, on November 27, 1853. Amboy's depot would eventually become the Northern Division Headquarters for the Illinois Central Railroad.
The section of railroad that came through Dixon was constructed from 1852-1855 partially on a 15 foot (4.6 m) embankment that would cradle the trio of bridges when the project was completed. The bridges were constructed of Galena faced limestone quarried just upstream the Rock River
Rock River (Illinois)
The Rock River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Illinois. It rises in southeast Wisconsin, in the Theresa Marsh near Theresa, Wisconsin in northeast Dodge County, Wisconsin approximately south of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin...
from Dixon at Dement's Quarry. The first train passed over the trio of bridges along West First, Second and Third Streets on February 1, 1855. The arrival of the train prompted the local media to quip of the train, "like a huge chariot of fire on a monstrous beast, it bellowed along -- high above the dwellings." The bridges remained in use by the railroad until December 21, 1985.
Design
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
of the area. The bridges were designed by Robert Finley Laing of Laing and Douglas Construction Company; the company contracted for the ICRR from 1852-1853. In addition to designing the three bridges over the city streets in Dixon, Laing also designed the stone piered bridge that the ICRR took over the Rock River on its way to Freeport
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
. The three stone bridges are set into a 15 foot (4.6 m) high embankment
Embankment (transportation)
To keep a road or railway line straight or flat, and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions is prohibitive, the land over which the road or rail line will travel is built up to form an embankment. An embankment is therefore in some sense the opposite of a cutting, and...
which stretches from West Seventh Street to the Rock River, the span includes the three stone arch bridges.
The yellowed limestone was cut to fit and is held together using no bond
Fastener
A fastener is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together.Fasteners can also be used to close a container such as a bag, a box, or an envelope; or they may involve keeping together the sides of an opening of flexible material, attaching a lid to a container,...
. Instead there are stone "keys" cut and notched into the rock which prevents the stones from slipping. The stone is of a plain ashlar masonry type and either cut or dimension stone. The stone's facing varies depending upon its location within the structure of the bridges. The arch stones are finished with a chiseled face while the wingwall and arch bases are finished with a rock face. There have been almost no alterations of the original structures besides a limited attempt at tuckpointing
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing is a way of using two contrasting colours of mortar in brickwork, one colour matching the bricks themselves, to give an artificial impression that very fine joints have been made.-History:...
between 1912 and 1915.
Significance
The three bridges are the only ones of their type still extant in Lee County, Illinois. They are also significant for their association with the Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
and its beginnings. With the arrival of the Illinois Central Railroad to Dixon
Dixon, Illinois
Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,941 at the 2000 census. Named for its founder, John Dixon , it is the county seat of Lee County. Located on the Rock River, Dixon was the boyhood home of former U.S...
, business and industry followed allowing Dixon to grow and prosper. The increase in population in the Dixon area over many years was a direct result of the arrival of the ICRR. There was an attempt by the city government to tear down the arches but the local citizens protested and the bridges were saved. The three bridges were listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, as part of the same listing, on December 2, 1987.