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Thompson Mill Covered Bridge

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge, a covered bridge in Illinois
Thompson Mill Covered Bridge, a covered bridge in IllinoisScheerniko · CC BY-SA 4.0

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Illinois, at a modelled elevation of 157 m. Bald Knob stands 232 m to the west-southwest, 25 miles off. The nearest named place is Rocky Spring, a spring 6.5 miles away. Historic National Road - Illinois passes 14 miles off. 81 named places lie within 25 miles, 6 of them named summits.

The story

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge which crosses the Kaskaskia River 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of Cowden, Illinois. The 160-foot-4-inch (48.87 m) Howe truss bridge is only 10 feet 7 inches (3.23 m) wide, making it the narrowest covered bridge in Illinois. The bridge was constructed in 1868; it was built in Michigan, shipped to Shelbyville, and hauled to the river crossing by horse-drawn wagons. The road the bridge carried was an important transportation corridor connecting Springfield, Taylorville, and Effingham. The bridge also provided area residents access to the Thompson Mill, a corn mill and sawmill which operated from 1843 to 1914. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1975. It is now one of only five historic covered bridges remaining in Illinois. The bridge has been closed to automobile traffic but remains open to pedestrians.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Dates from 1868.

Wikidata Q16901614, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

How to reach it

Coordinates39.25863, -88.81809

81 named places within 25 miles

Parks: 48
  • Tom Davis Park: 8.7 mi
  • Herrick Park: 9.3 mi
  • Stewardson City Park: 9.9 mi
  • Plum Park: 10.3 mi
  • Dam East Recreation Area: 10.4 mi
Peaks: 6
  • Dean Hills: 10.8 mi
  • Bowling Green Hill: 11.7 mi
  • White Oak Mound: 12.7 mi
  • Bridges Knob: 13.6 mi
  • Island Hill: 13.8 mi
Nature reserves: 5
Historic sites: 4
Museums: 4
Attractions: 4
  • CE&I Depot: 16.8 mi
  • NYC-IC RR Signal Tower: 16.9 mi
  • Tower of Baa: 18.3 mi
  • Two Story Outhouse: 22.1 mi
Picnic sites: 3
Beaches: 2
  • Lithia Springs Beach: 12.4 mi
  • Coon Creek Beach: 13.3 mi
Springs: 1
  • Rocky Spring: 6.5 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Thompson Mill Covered Bridge. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Bald KnobWSW 257°232 m24.6 mi
Bridges KnobWSW 247°211 m13.6 mi
Bowling Green HillWSW 240°205 m11.7 mi
Dean HillsSW 226°197 m10.8 mi
Island HillSW 216°171 m13.8 mi
White Oak MoundSW 217°153 m12.7 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0018:3219:07
June solstice05:3019:4620:26
September equinox06:4418:1918:54
December solstice07:1215:5416:36

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F283242546473767568564333
Precip in2.62.12.74.34.64.74.13.43.13.63.72.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Shelbyville DAM, 11 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element way/116855157

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