1919 Monroe Street Bridge

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Chicago Loop; 95th Anniversary; HAER; Satellite)

(The original Chicago Avenue Bridge content has been moved to here.)

HAER ILL, 16-CHIG, 130--1

MWRD posted
A view to the east towards the Monroe Street Bridge in Chicago on April 25, 1919.
MWRD posted

MWRD posted
View looking west towards the Monroe Street bridge over South Branch of the Chicago River on April 25, 1919.
MWRD posted

Street View of North Elevation, Aug 2019

Street View of South Elevation, Aug 2019

"This bridge was the first Chicago bascule bridge to have a smoothly-curved pony truss design for a movable bridge, and was the generation of trunnion bascule bridges that succeeded the somewhat clunky looking bridge design seen on bridges such as Grand Avenue. The Monroe Street Bridge however still has the clunky looking detail at the ends of the trusses like the Grand Avenue type bascules. Later examples of this bridge design would have a more aesthetically pleasing curved detail at the ends in addition to the smoothly curved detail in the center. The Franklin Street Bridge is one such later example." [HistoricBridges]

Street View, Aug 2019

 

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This photo motivated these notes. But after doing a little research, the bridge in this photo is two blocks south on Adams Street.

MWRD posted
A view of the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company freight office, looking south from Madison Street in Chicago on September 29, 1903.