{"nrhp_refnum":"75000640","name":"Red Covered Bridge","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"2 mi. N of Princeton off IL 26 on Old Dad Joe Trail","address_restricted":false,"city":"Princeton","county":"Bureau County","state":"IL","lat":41.41647643400006,"lon":-89.47868896099999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1975-04-23","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering","Transportation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state","local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A covered timber Howe truss bridge carrying Old Dad Joe Trail over Bureau Creek near Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois, built in 1863 by Bureau County.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it the only covered bridge in the area and a good example of early bridge construction in northern Illinois. It is recognized for engineering, architecture and transportation. Local government and public subscription paid for its construction.","narrative":"Carrying Old Dad Joe Trail across Bureau Creek near Princeton, this covered bridge was built by Bureau County in 1863 for $3,148.57. Bureau County paid $1,000, Dover Township $600, and public subscription $1,548.57. The main span is a timber Howe truss about 95 feet long, covered with wooden plank siding and resting on masonry piers, with a 15-foot-6-inch roadway and 12 feet of vertical clearance. Short uncovered approach spans of 36 and 18 feet use steel I-beams. The nomination describes it as the only covered bridge in the area and a good example of early bridge construction in northern Illinois. Over the years the state transportation department repaired the piers, the south portal after a 1967 truck accident, and in 1973 replaced the roof and planking. Rip rap and a small weir dam were added in 1974 after flood damage. Signs at each end still list the original fines for driving livestock too fast across it.","period_of_significance":"19th Century","architect_builder":"Bureau County (constructed by the county in 1863)","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition and in use as a bridge on a public road; repairs were made in 1965, 1967, 1973 and 1974.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.534052-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/48/8917/28891748/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/75000640.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/75000640/13c7b6571a-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/75000640/13c7b6571a-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 2.5","author":"User:Majnutl","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Covered_Bridge_in_Princeton_IL.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Majnutl</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 2.5</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Covered_Bridge_in_Princeton_IL.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28891748","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Covered_Bridge_(Illinois)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7303943"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/bureau-county/red-covered-bridge-75000640/"}