Camelback Bridge - Normal, Illinois - Truss Bridges on Waymarking.com

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Camelback Bridge - Normal, Illinois

in Truss Bridges

Posted by:  BruceS

Assisted by:  SecurB

16T E 331871 N 4484942

Historic road bridge built to allow locomotives to pass below in Normal, Illinois.

The Camelback Bridge also known as the Bridge No. A797-14 is located on Virgina Avenue (originally Sill Street) between Broadway and Linden Street. The bridge originally spanned the Illinois Central Railroad tracks (now Constitution Trail). When the bridge was built circa 1870 and then replaced in 1904, the bridge had a high hump in the middle to clear the stacks of steam locomotives passing beneath thus the name Camelback. When the bridge was rehabilitation in 2000 the height was reduced to allow easier access for vehicles crossing.

The bridge consists of a 31 foot wood pony truss span with a king post at its center with access ramps on each side which are supported by unusual riveted iron columns. The iron columns called Phoenix columns, are patented design, invented by Samuel Reeve of the Phoenix Iron Co. of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania in 1862. The columns employ flanged arcs of cast or wrought iron riveted together at the joints thus creating a rigid, load bearing column.

The coordinates listed are for the west approach to the bridge. Near these coordinates is a sidewalk leading down to the Constitution Trail where you will get a better view of the bridge along with a historical marker about it.

Date Built: 01/01/1904 Length of Span: 31 feet www: http://www.normal.org/gov/boards/hpc/Camelback.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelback_Bridge Parking Coordinates:: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Log your find with a picture of the bridge with yourself or your GPS in the foreground. This shot does not have to be taken "on" the bridge. The shot should show the "truss" structure of the bridge as well.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/22/2009 teamMCLM visited it