Will County's Historic Landmarks
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Historic Landmark Registry - Division Street (16th Street) Bridge |
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Constructed circa 1899, the Division Street Bridge spans the Des Plaines River a distance of approximately 511 feet. It is made up of three spans consisting of two truss designs, the Parker Truss and the Pratt Truss. The Pratt Truss was patented in 1844 by Thomas Pratt and his architect father, Caleb Pratt. The original design combined vertical wooden compression members with diagonal iron tension members. Although not initially very popular, as iron became cheaper and more readily available by the late nineteenth century, the Pratt Truss had become one of the principal methods of all steel bridge construction. While the Pratt Truss was only capable of spanning 150 ft., the other 400 ft. were made up of two Parker Trusses, a variation of the Pratt Truss, capable of spanning a greater distance.
Recognized as being among one of the oldest bridge structures in Will County, as well as a standing record of technological achievement in the late nineteenth century, the Division Street Bridge was designated a Will County Historic Landmark on February 16, 1995.
Historic Name: The 16th Street Bridge
Common Name: The Division Street Bridge
Location: Division Street, East off Route 53 Lockport Township
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