Bolivia Road Bridge
Also known as: Lanesville Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the North Fork of the Sangamon River on the Sangamon and Christian county line, this one-lane bridge near Bolivia, Illinois, was built in 1901 by J.T. Garrett of St. Louis for the Lanesville Road District. It runs 622 feet and combines a ten-panel Parker through truss main span of 180 feet, a shored pony truss span, and nineteen steel I-beam approach spans, all with timber decking. Ornamental grid combs and urn-shaped finials top the portal bracing. Local governments shared the cost, and the structure gave residents north of the river a direct route to the railroad and trade facilities near Bolivia. It was listed for engineering significance. A 1994 Illinois survey identified it as one of the last seven known bridges of its type in the state, noted its distinctive ornamentation, and found its fabricator unconnected to other surveyed bridges. It is also the only original bridge left along a 12-mile stretch of the river.
Significance in brief: The bridge is significant under Criterion C for engineering as a good local example of a Parker through truss with a pony truss span and steel I-beam approach spans. A 1994 state historic bridge survey counted it among the last seven known bridges of this type in Illinois. It has distinctive ornamentation and a fabricator not linked to other surveyed bridges.
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 03001464, listed January 28, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Axross the North Fork of the Sangamon R., Bolivia |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | January 28, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001464 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1901 |
| Architect / builder | Garrett, J.T. St. Louis Missouri |
| Architectural style | Other: Parker Through Truss Bridge; Pony Truss |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still standing with its wooden plank deck and in use for 102 years at the time of the nomination; current function is road-related transportation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.76933, -89.34569 (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 03001464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q891369
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.