General Dean Suspension Bridge

General Dean Suspension Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The General Dean Suspension Bridge, ca. 2000
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Nearest city	Carlyle, Illinois
Coordinates	38°36′40″N 89°21′28″W / 38.61111°N 89.35778°W / 38.61111; -89.35778Coordinates: 38°36′40″N 89°21′28″W / 38.61111°N 89.35778°W / 38.61111; -89.35778
Area	0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built	1859
NRHP Reference #	73000693[1]
Added to NRHP	April 3, 1973

The General Dean Suspension Bridge in 1936 for the Historic American Buildings Survey

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, who served during the Korean War and was a native of Carlyle. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to the Register in 1973.^[2]

History

The bridge was originally constructed in 1859 at a cost of $40,000. The original bridge remained in operation for nearly seventy years.^[3] Before the bridge was constructed, travelers were forced to cross the Kaskaskia at Carlyle by ferry or over a mud bridge.^[4] In 1950 the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) recognized the bridge for its architectural significance. HABS recommended preservation of the bridge.^[5] The Illinois General Assembly set aside $20,000 for bridge restoration in 1951, and in 1953 the bridge was named after Major General Dean.^[3]

References

External links

• Bridgemeister: Several good photos and closeups of the bridge
• General Dean Suspension Bridge at Structurae
• Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. IL-225, "Suspension Bridge, Spanning Kaskaskia River, Carlyle, Clinton County, IL"