For the next few posts, we will be taking a short departure from the undeniably exclusive “Irish Things” theme of the last nine months, and will be visiting the US midwest. This summer, I left Dublin for a month and visited family in Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri – and of course I took my camera!
First stop, Princeton, Illinois. Princeton is a charming little town with a nice variety of boutique shops along Main Street. The people of Princeton are proud of this covered bridge, which is located just to the north of town.
While covered bridges used to be much more common in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, bridges these days are not constructed out of wood and therefore do not need to have enclosures built around them. This particular covered bridge is one of six remaining in Illinois.
I don’t know if you can see it clearly or not, but there is a sign above the entrance on each side stating, “Five Dollars Fine For Driving More Than Twelve Horses Mules Or Cattle At One Time Or For Leading Any Beast Faster Than A Walk On Or Across This Bridge.” These people were serious! 🙂
The interior structure is still in really good repair, and this bridge is still open to vehicular travel today. You can even see the remnants of painted advertisements which were fastened to the supporting beams.
In 1973, the bridge received some tender loving care by the folks of Bureau County, ensuring that it was still safe for traffic. In 1975, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Not bad for this little covered bridge!
It’s easy to see why this well-maintained 148 foot-long bridge has been painted and photographed by so many people.