Stone Quarry Bridge
Also known as: Bridge Number3111
Why it's listed
Quarry Bridge carries a township road over the Embarras River northeast of Charleston, Illinois, close to the Charleston Stone Company quarry that gave it its name. Built in 1883 by the King Iron Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio, at a cost to Coles County of $4000, it is the oldest bridge in the county. The single span is a double intersection Pratt pinned through-truss of steel and iron with a timber deck. Its main truss measures 180 feet in 12 panels, with a roadway 16 feet wide. The bridge lies on the old Paris to Pana trail and linked the eastern third of the county with Charleston, the county seat. Its engineering interest lies in the truss type, developed by Squire Whipple in 1846 and marked by long diagonals crossing two panels. The design was widely used between 1865 and 1885, and this is the only example in Coles County. Rust is considerable, and the bridge was rated fair in a recent state inspection.
Significance in brief: It is the oldest bridge in Coles County and the only double intersection Pratt truss in the county. It served as a connector between the eastern third of the county and the county seat at Charleston. It was built near the end of the period when this Whipple-type truss was popular, roughly 1865-1885.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 81000215, listed November 30, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Charleston, Charleston |
|---|---|
| County | Coles County |
| Listed | November 30, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000215 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1883 |
| Architect / builder | King Iron Bridge Company, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Architectural style | Double intersection Pratt through-truss |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rusted considerably and rated fair in a recent Illinois Department of Transportation inspection; the form says it has withstood the years although it is showing its age. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.51306, -88.11600 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 81000215.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900758
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.