Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge on Route 66 is a unique piece of architectural history. A notable 22 degree bend in the center of the bridge stands out as a reflection of the economic, environmental, and political concerns at the time of its origin. Famously featured as the "69th Street Bridge" in the film Escape from New York, it is also a piece of movie history. The bridge is now a popular spot for walking, biking, and bird watching.

When compared to other bridges that span the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge immediately stands out. In addition to its name, which refers to a natural rock formation that stretches across the river, and its "steel truss design," the bridge differs from most bridges before or since by featuring a sharp 22-degree bend near the center of the span. However, this unusual bend was not included in the bridge's original design, nor was the bridge originally on Route 66. Clearly, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is a testament to early twentieth century engineering and the willingness to adapt to changing political, economic, and environmental circumstances.

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was the brainchild of the Chain-of-Rocks and Kingshighway Bridge Company, which, under the direction of company president John R. Scott, successfully petitioned Congress for a charter to build the bridge in 1927.¹ Designed by engineers Baxter L. Brown and Edward B. Fay, the bridge was projected to cost $1.25 million and be completed in eighteen months.² However, before construction began, engineers and Mississippi River boatmen filed a complaint with the War Department, which had final authority over the bridge's design. Because the projected position of the bridge was near two water intake towers (the castle-like structures near the bridge), this group argued that the swift currents in this area would make navigating around the bridge and the towers "extremely dangerous" for commercial shipping.³ In addition, it was discovered that the bridge's initial straight design would pass over an area of the river that lacked sufficient bedrock to support the structure.⁴ As a result of these concerns, the War Department ordered modifications to the bridge's design that produced the signature bend that distinguishes the bridge to this day.

When construction began in late 1927, two companies collaborated on the project. The American Bridge Company produced the steel trusses that adorn the top of the bridge, while the Union Bridge and Construction Company of New York built the steel superstructure and a substructure made of concrete.⁵ Construction began simultaneously on both sides of the river, with first the piers being sunk and then the spans erected.⁶ It is worth noting that building a bridge over the Mississippi River in the early twentieth century was a dangerous job. Working 90 feet above the river, with little in the way of safety gear, men were frequently in danger of plunging into the Mississippi. To combat this, a boat was assigned to cruise around the construction zone to rescue any fallen workers.⁷ Despite this precaution, at least three men drowned during the construction of the bridge when they fell into the river and rescuers failed to reach them in time.⁸ The project encountered additional difficulties from flooding that delayed the opening of the bridge from January 1st, 1929 to June 1929.⁹ In addition, the cost of the bridge doubled from $1.25 million to $2.5 million.¹⁰ Finally, the bridge opened on July 20th, 1929, with little fanfare.¹¹ Reflecting its status as a toll bridge owned by a private company, tolls were collected from a "toll house" located in the middle of the road on the "city end" of the bridge.¹² In addition to paying tolls, travelers on the bridge had to contend with the bend in the bridge, which became "a legendary bottleneck" that no amount of signage or warnings could prevent.¹³

The 1930s proved to be an important decade for the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. First, in 1932, due to financial difficulties, the Chain-of-Rocks and Kingshighway Bridge Company was forced to sell the bridge for $600,000 to the newly formed Kingshighway Bridge Company.¹⁴ John R. Scott served as the president of the new company.¹⁵ Second, in 1935, Route 66 was rerouted so that it now crossed over the bridge.¹⁶ For the next thirty years, the bridge served as the link between Illinois and Missouri on Route 66. Third, in 1939, the city of Madison, Illinois, purchased the bridge from the Kingshighway Bridge Company for $2.3 million in revenue bonds.¹⁷ Despite Madison’s location almost five miles from the bridge (the purchase of the bridge was not expected to bring travelers to Madison), the city desired to use the toll bridge to fund future projects.¹⁸ Once again, John R. Scott remained involved with the bridge. He signed a four-year contract with the city of Madison to serve as the bridge's general manager.¹⁹

The bridge remained in consistent use for the next thirty years, but by the 1960s, "growing amounts of traffic, changes in automobile design, development of modern interstate systems, and advanced technologies called for a new, wider structure."²⁰ As a result of these changes, in 1967, the New Chain of Rocks Bridge opened 2000 feet away and was integrated into Interstate 270. The new bridge drastically reduced use of the old one. It was estimated that after the new bridge opened only 1,400 cars used the old bridge per day, a drastic reduction from the estimated 12,000 that used to cross it daily.²¹ And because Madison was forced by government authorities to stop collecting tolls in 1966, the city now owned a massive structure that was costing the city $50,000 a year for insurance and maintenance.²² However, at least initially, the bridge was not a financial burden on Madison due to a $2,500,000 reserve fund created by the bridge's profits which produced $100,000 per year.²³ While the bridge did close for two weeks in 1968 for repairs, the bridge stayed open until the city of Madison permanently closed it in February of 1970.²⁴

For the majority of the next three decades the bridge was unused and fell into disrepair, although Madison considered several proposals for repurposing the bridge in the early 1970s, including creating a flea market, building a hotel and retail complex on the bridge, and allowing the U.S. Army to destroy the bridge for demolition practice.²⁵ However, none of these proposals came to fruition, and by 1975 the city of Madison was planning to destroy the bridge and sell the remains for scrap. However, because of a drastic drop in scrap metal prices ($100 to $45 per ton), the bridge was spared demolition.²⁶ Yet, the bridge's deterioration proved to be a boon to John Carpenter, the director of the 1981 film Escape From New York. Despite being set in an anarchic and dystopian version of New York City, parts of the film were shot in the St. Louis area.²⁷ In the film, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge serves as the fictional "69th Street Bridge," which the main characters drive across while fleeing New York City near the film's climax.²⁸

In 1989, Gateway Trailnet (now Trailnet), a St. Louis non-profit organization that promotes walking and biking networks to improve St. Louis, began planning to transform the bridge into a "pedestrian and bicycle corridor."²⁹ By 1996, the organization began negotiating with the city of Madison to lease the bridge and planned to raise $3.4 million to repair the bridge and convert it for its new role.³⁰ In January 1997, Trailnet acquired a twenty-year lease for the bridge from Madison for $1.³¹ Over the next few years, Trailnet worked to clean the bridge and make it safe for pedestrian use, and in 1999 began evaluating how best to promote the bridge's re-opening.³² To create publicity and attract people to the bridge's official re-opening ceremony, Trailnet decided to re-open the bridge and host the St. Louis area Earth Day celebration on the bridge simultaneously on June 5th, 1999. On June 5th, environmentalists and Route 66 fans gathered on the bridge to socialize, eat, listen to music, and learn about the environment and the bridge on which they stood.³³ Since re-opening, the bridge has served as a popular walking, bicycling, and bird watching location. Furthermore, in recognition of its historical value, in 2006 the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.³⁴ Trailnet also emphasized its connection with Route 66.³⁵ In addition to the signs and paraphernalia linking the bridge with the Mother Road, Trailnet hosted the 2008 St. Louis Route 66 Festival on the bridge.³⁶ In 2014, Trailnet "transferred the lease on the bridge to the Great Rivers Greenway" organization, which still leases the bridge today.³⁷ The bridge now hosts "community programs and events such as Eagle Days, Chain of Rocks Car Shows, and numerous runs, bike rides, and historic Route 66 tours."³⁸ In addition, Great Rivers Greenway is currently developing the land on the western side of the bridge with the goals of restoring the natural environment in the area, increasing security around the bridge, offering more amenities to visitors, and increasing the site's ability to host larger events.³⁹

^{Researched and Written by Tyler Young}

^{Uploaded on behalf of the Madison County Historical Society by Kiley Fuchs}

1^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf; "Quick Action is Expected on New Mitchell Bridge," Edwardsville Intelligencer, February 15, 1927; "Congress Grants Charter for River Bridge West of Mitchell," Edwardsville Intelligencer, February 23, 1927; "Big Stock Bonus Given Promotors of Toll Bridges," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 22, 1928.

2^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf; "Chain of Rocks Bridge Due to Open Thursday," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 14, 1929; "Congress Grants Charter for River Bridge West of Mitchell," Edwardsville Intelligencer, February 23, 1927.

3^ "Opposition to Bridge Site Near Waterworks Towers," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 29, 1927.

4^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

5^ Ibid.

6^ "Progress Rapid on New Bridges Near St. Louis," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 23, 1928.

7^ "Chain of Rocks River Bridge Open Early Next Year," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 4, 1928.

8^ "Chain of Rocks Bridge Iron Worker Drowns," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 30, 1929; "Two Workmen Drown in Fall Off New Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 30, 1929; "Bodies of Two Drowned When Tower Fell Found," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 1929.

9^ "Chain of Rocks Highway Toll Bridge Opened," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 21, 1929.

10^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

11^ "Chain of Rocks Highway Toll Bridge Opened," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 21, 1929.

12^ For toll rates on the bridge, see "Chain of Rocks Bridge Due to Open Thursday," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 14, 1929.

13^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

14^ "Holders Urged to Send in Chain of Rocks Bridge Bonds," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 11, 1931; "$2,000,000 Bridge Sells for $600,000," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 1932.

15^ "$2,000,000 Bridge Sells for $600,000," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 1932.

16^ "U.S. 66 Route in County Changed," Edwardsville Intelligencer, August 14, 1935; "Highway 66 to be Rerouted Over Chain of Rocks Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 11, 1935.

17^ "Madison Takes Over Chain of Rocks Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 14, 1939.

18^ "Financial Details of Sale of Bridge at Chain of Rocks," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 28, 1939; Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

19^ "Madison Takes Over Chain of Rocks Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 14, 1939.

20^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

21^ Philip Sutin, "Face-Lifting for Old Chain of Rocks Span," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 7, 1968; "State Drops Bridge Tax," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 1, 1968.

22^ William Mansfield, "Bridge Still Needed," Edwardsville Intelligencer, February 1, 1968.

23^ Philip Sutin, "Face-Lifting for Old Chain of Rocks Span," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 7, 1968.

24^ Philip Sutin, "Face-Lifting for Old Chain of Rocks Span," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 7, 1968; "Accord Near for Bridge Flea Market," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 9, 1970; Doug Thompson, "Madison Plans to Open Bridge as 'Flea Market,'" Alton Evening Telegraph, October 20, 1970.

25^ "Accord Near for Bridge Flea Market," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 9, 1970; Doug Thompson, "Madison Plans to Open Bridge as 'Flea Market,'" Alton Evening Telegraph, October 20, 1970; "Bridge Development Proposed," Edwardsville Intelligencer, March 5, 1975; "Motel-Café Plan For Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 26, 1975; Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf; Sue Hurley, "Trailnet's Plan for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge Moving Ahead," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 31, 1997.

26^ "Madison May Delay Razing of Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 8, 1975.

27^ Robert Osborne, "On Location," Hollywood Reporter, October 24, 1980, https://web.archive.org/web/20070317172451/http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/press/reporter801024.html.

28^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf; 5 Bags of Popcorn, "John Carpenter's Escape from New York 1981 DVD Commentary," May 12, 2020, Director Commentary, 1:21:45 to 1:22:25, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mooWs8xwpjY.

29^ "Mission and Values," Trailnet, accessed March 31, 2021, https://trailnet.org/our-backpack/mission-values/; Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

30^ Tom Uhlenbrock, "The Missing Link," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 20, 1996.

31^ Tom Uhlenbrock, "'Chain' to Connect Trails," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 25, 1997.

32^ Sue Hurley, "Trailnet's Plan for Old Chain of Rocks Bridge Moving Ahead," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 31, 1997; Heather Ratcliffe, "Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is Set to Reopen June 5," St. Louis Post-Dispatch," May 24, 1999.

33^ Dan Mihalopoulos, "Revelers Make the Most of Reopening of Bridge and Earth Day Festivities," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 6, 1999.

34^ "Chain of Rocks Bridge," National Park Service, accessed April 2, 2021, https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/chain_of_rocks_bridge_illinois_missouri.html.

35^ Chain of Rocks Bridge National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/06001091.pdf.

36^ Jason Sibert, "Route 66 Festival Held on Old Chain of Rocks Bridge," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 9, 2008, https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/life/new-route-66-festival-held-on-old-chain-of-rocks-bridge/article_7a8561e5-77a6-5cc6-a5cf-56cc711bdbd7.html.

37^ "Our Journey," Trailnet, accessed April 1, 2021, https://trailnet.org/our-backpack/our-journey/.

38^ "Old Chain of Rocks Bridge Site," Great Rivers Greenway, accessed April 1, 2021, https://greatriversgreenway.org/bridge/.

39^ Ibid.