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| Name | Pecatonica Prairie Trail - Coolidge Creek Culvert Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #510 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Winnebago County |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 8 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track (39 Feet) |
| Height Above Ground | 5 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Stone Arch Culvert |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | c. 1860 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 510 |
| Significance | Local |
| Documentation Date | 4/20/2019 |
In 1836, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU) was charted to construct a railroad line between Chicago and Galena, Illinois. After attempts to construct the railroad in the late 1830s, the company came to a halt due to lack of funds. William B. Ogden was elected director of the G&CU in 1847, and construction on the railroad began in 1848. That year, the first four miles to present day Oak Park were constructed. In 1849, the railroad reached Turner Junction (West Chicago), thirty miles west of downtown Chicago. By the end of 1850, the railroad had reached Elgin, and in 1852, the railroad would reach Rockford. In 1853, the line would be extended to Freeport, Illinois; where it connected to the Illinois Central Railroad. The G&CU realized the company would be better served by constructing a mainline west towards Iowa, and never extended the line past Freeport. In total, the line would be 121 miles in length. The G&CU was consolidated with the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1864. The C&NW was beginning to construct and acquire a large network of railroads throughout the Midwest. The West Chicago to Freeport line formed a secondary route, connecting industries to Chicago.
Through the 20th Century, this route began to decline in significance. The C&NW would become a
prominent railroad in the midwest, eventually building a system over
11,000 miles long. By the 1970s, industries had closed and passenger traffic disappeared.
In 1981, the C&NW would abandon the segment between Rockford and
Freeport. The right-of-way would be purchased by Commonwealth Edison,
and portions of the line converted to the Pecatonica Prairie Path. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the
Union Pacific Railroad. Today, Union Pacific operates the West Chicago to Rockford segment as the Belvidere Subdivision, which mainly serves the Stellanis Plant in Belvidere. Metra service is scheduled to begin to Rockford in 2027, and utilize this line between Elgin and Rockford. West of Rockford, much of the route has become part of the Pecatonica Prairie Path.
Located near Keith Road west of Winnebago, this small stone arch culvert once carried the Chicago & North Western Railway over Coolidge Creek. Little is known about this bridge. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was initially built. In the 1850s and 1860s, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad made significant improvements to bridges along the system, constructing new iron and stone bridges and stone culverts. It appears that nearly all timber bridges along this line were replaced by permanent structures by the 1880s. Currently, the culvert consists of an 8-foot by 10-foot stone arch culvert, with a total width of 39 feet. Railroad records estimate a construction date of 1887 for the culvert, which does not appear to be correct. The arch utilizes a standard semicircular shape and nearly cut stones, typical of 1850s and 1860s stone arch culverts constructed by the G&CU. A number of other arches along this line have estimated dates listed, which have been proven to be significantly older. One possible reason for the lack of information is the loss of the original plans and documents related to this structure in the Chicago Fire of 1871. Much of the original G&CU material was destroyed in this fire. Stone arch spans became popular with railroads in the mid-19th Century, as they were durable and easy to construct. After abandonment of the railroad, the bridge was converted to a trail known as the Pecatonica Prairie Trail. In 2011, the culvert was rehabilitated by adding mortar and making other repairs. Overall, the culvert appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this culvert as being locally significant, due to the small size and unknown history.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |