General Dean Suspension Bridge | |
Nearest city | Carlyle, Illinois |
---|---|
Coordinates | 38°36′40″N 89°21′28″W / 38.61111°N 89.35778°W |
Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
Built | 1859 |
Engineer | P. Griffith Smith [2] |
NRHP reference No. | 73000693 [1] |
Added to NRHP | April 3, 1973 |
The General Dean Suspension Bridge spans the Kaskaskia River at Carlyle in Clinton County, Illinois, United States. It is named after Major General William F. Dean, a native of Carlyle who served during the Korean War. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to the Register in 1973. [3]
The bridge was originally constructed in 1859 at a cost of $40,000. The original bridge remained in operation for nearly seventy years. [4] Before the bridge was constructed, travelers were forced to cross the Kaskaskia at Carlyle by ferry or over a mud bridge. [5] In 1950 the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) recognized the bridge for its architectural significance. HABS recommended preservation of the bridge. [6] The Illinois General Assembly set aside $20,000 for bridge restoration in 1951, and in 1953 the bridge was named after Major General Dean. [4]