London Mills Bridge
Why it's listed
Carrying County Highway 39 across the Spoon River at the north edge of London Mills, this metal truss bridge dates to 1883. Drawings show a main span built as a through Pratt truss of eight panels, about 130 feet long, with additional approach spans of simple truss design supported on stone and steel piers and concrete abutments. A nameplate on the structure refers to a Cleveland, Ohio, bridge company. The bridge is posted for a six-ton load. It was nominated as one of several metal highway bridges in Fulton County. Together they represent the period from 1883 to 1915, when the county replaced fords, ferries and early iron bridges with steel trusses suited to growing traffic. The group shows changes in bridge construction, especially the Pratt and Parker through trusses, across about thirty-five years. The state evaluated this bridge as significant at the state level, and it was entered in the register in October 1980.
Significance in brief: It is one of a collection of surviving metal truss bridges (1883-1915) in Fulton County that shows the improvement of the highway system as fords, ferries and iron bridges were replaced by steel trusses. The group illustrates changes in truss design, particularly the Pratt and Parker through trusses, over about 35 years. The state evaluated its significance at the state level.
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 80001358, listed October 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SR 39, London Mills |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | October 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001358 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Through Pratt truss main span with pin-connected and riveted members |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Posted for a 6-ton load limit; the thematic group is described as generally in good condition, though plans exist to replace several bridges. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.71006, -90.26681 (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 80001358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6670593
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.