{"nrhp_refnum":"87002048","name":"Illinois Central Stone Arch Railroad Bridges","other_names":["City Street Arches"],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"W. First, W. Second, & W. Third Sts. between Monroe & College Aves.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Dixon","county":"Lee County","state":"IL","lat":41.84327945200005,"lon":-89.48977467220476,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1987-12-02","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Transportation"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Three semicircular stone arch railroad bridges built of local Galena limestone on West First, Second and Third Streets in western Dixon, Lee County, Illinois, carrying Illinois Central Railroad tracks over city streets. They were built in 1852-55.","why_significant":"The bridges are tied to the Illinois Central Railroad, an important 19th-century transportation route in Illinois, and to the growth of Dixon as a transportation and service center for Lee County. They are described as the only stone arch bridges of their type in Lee County and as some of the oldest stone structures in Dixon. The form also stresses their architectural character and excellent physical condition.","narrative":"Three semicircular stone arch bridges in western Dixon, Illinois, carry railroad tracks over West First, Second and Third Streets. Built between 1852 and 1855 of coursed Galena limestone from Dement's Quarry, they were designed and built by contractor Robert Finley Laing for the Illinois Central Railroad. The tracks run on a roughly 15-foot embankment, and the arches let street traffic pass beneath. Clearances are 14, 15 and 12 feet, and each arch spans 28 feet. The stones were cut to fit without bond, with keyed joints, and the work has changed little apart from limited tuckpointing around 1912-15. The bridges matter because the railroad shaped Dixon's growth. After trains began running through town in 1855, the Dementtown area filled with mills, hotels, and industries beside the depots, and the town's population grew. The arches are the only ones of their type in Lee County and remain among the oldest stone structures in Dixon.","period_of_significance":"1852-1855","architect_builder":"Robert Finley Laing","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["A"],"status_note":"Listed in excellent condition, unaltered and on their original site; still in use carrying Illinois Central tracks over the streets. Only limited tuckpointing around 1912-15 is noted.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:35.909813-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/53/8934/28893453/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/87002048.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87002048/13e2427bdd-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87002048/13e2427bdd-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 2.5","author":"IvoShandor","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dixon_IL_ICRR_First_St_Bridge1.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">IvoShandor</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:Dixon_IL_ICRR_First_St_Bridge1.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28893453","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Central_Stone_Arch_Railroad_Bridges","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5999396"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/lee-county/illinois-central-stone-arch-railroad-bridges-87002048/"}