Illinois Archives - History in Your Own Backyard

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Bridge, Lemont, Illinois

This bridge in Lemont, Illinois, just outside of Chicago was built in 1898 by the Keystone Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with the superstructure contractor being Carnegie Steel Company. T…[View More]

Wabash Railroad Bridge # 738, Danville, Illinois

I found this rail line just northeast of Danville, Illinois extremely interesting. First off you have 2 sets of tracks running southwest to northeast that cross over the KBSR Rail line (Kankakee, Beav…[View More]

Historic Hoopeston, Illinois

Hoopeston, Illinois has a very colorful past which includes being home to several POW Camps for German soldiers during WWII. During their confinement in Hoopeston, one small group of prisoners escaped…[View More]

The Vermilion County Fairgrounds Stone Arch Tunnel, Batestown, Illinois

This stone arch tunnel near the Vermilion County Fairgrounds was built in 1901 for the Peoria & Eastern Railway. The rail line was used almost exclusively for grain hauling and the line was last u…[View More]

Historic Rossville, Illinois

Rossville was incorporated as a village in August 1859. Rossville and Ross Township were named after Jacob Ross, a settler in the area. Rossville was originally named Liggett’s Grove in honor of…[View More]

Indian Creek Phantom Bridge, Lawrenceville, Illinois

Built in 1923 and bypassed just 34 years later when State Route 1 was realigned, this Phantom Bridge sits abandonded over Indian Creek just south of Lawrenceville, Illinois. The former route that this…[View More]

The Haunted Wabash Cannonball Bridge, St. Francisville, Illinois

Built in 1897 for the Big 4 Railroad, this bridge has had numerous updates over the years including the addition of a “Swing Bridge” in the center of the structure to allow tall ships to n…[View More]

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