Sylvan Road Bridge
Also known as: Bridge Over Ravine,Glencoe,Il.
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Why it's listed
A small concrete bridge carries Sylvan Road across a ravine in a wooded residential part of northeast Glencoe, Illinois. It is a one-lane crossing for vehicles and pedestrians, with walls rising about two feet above the deck, a built-in sitting area, concrete pillars and supports, a curved semicircular support near the ground, simple light fixtures at each end, and ornamental flower urns. Frank Lloyd Wright designed it around 1911-1912, and it was built in 1915. According to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, it is the only bridge in the United States he designed. It was meant to lead to a large house, referred to as the Booth house, which was never built there. Six Wright-designed homes stand nearby. The nomination notes that the basic structure and features remained unchanged for about sixty-two years, that visitors come from around the world, and that residents have asked the Village, which owns it, to restore its Wright features.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is architecturally significant because, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, it is the only bridge in the United States designed by Wright. Its basic structure and features have remained unchanged since construction. It sits in a neighborhood with six other Wright-designed homes and is treated as a community asset.
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 78001137, listed June 23, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Sylvan Rd., Glencoe |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | June 23, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001137 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Architect / builder | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Village of Glencoe and in public use for transportation; residents have asked the Village to restore its Wright features. Reviewer notes mention some deterioration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.14436, -87.76344 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 78001137.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7296752
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.