Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
Also known as: Old Covered Bridge over Sugar Creek
Why it's listed
Spanning Sugar Creek near Chatham, this covered bridge crosses the creek with a 60-foot clear span and 24-foot approaches at each end. Thomas Black built it in 1827 to serve the first settlers in Sangamon County, who arrived in the area in 1817. Its wooden truss has eight panels of a modified Burr type, with X-shaped diagonals in each panel and an arch assisting the frame. The portals are 8 feet 3 inches high and wide. In 1965 the state rehabilitated the structure, straightening the lower chord, adding steel rods and supports, replacing about half the bracing and deck, and patching the shingle roof, using materials matching the original. The bridge is one of seven wooden trussed bridges in Illinois still serving traffic at their original sites, out of more than 200 once built. It is valued as a representative example of a common nineteenth-century type and as a tourist stop for visitors following Lincoln-related sites around Springfield.
Significance in brief: It is described as Sangamon County's oldest covered bridge and one of seven wooden trussed bridges in Illinois still in service at their original location. The nomination calls it a representative, not unique, example of the wooden truss type, with purely local transportation significance. It also served the area's first settlers and draws tourists interested in Lincoln-era sites.
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 78001185, listed January 9, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Chatham off I-55, Chatham |
|---|---|
| County | Sangamon County |
| Listed | January 9, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001185 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Black |
| Architectural style | Wooden truss bridge, modified Burr truss with arch |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 1965 by the state; described as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and still in service. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.64042, -89.66214 (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 78001185.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900814
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.