- 1887: 147 miles completed from Forest Park to Aiken, Illinois by the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad
- 1887: Trackage rights granted over the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and Illinois Central Railroad into Dubuque, Iowa
- 1894: M&NW sold to the Chicago Great Western Railway
- 1911: Chicago Great Western Railway reorganized as the Chicago Great Western Railroad
- 1968: CGW acquired by the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1970: Segment from Forest Park to Elmhurst abandoned
- 1972: Segment from Byron to Aiken (Galena Junction) abandoned
- 1974: Segment from Elmhurst to Villa Park abandoned
- 1977: Segment from St. Charles to Sycamore abandoned
- 1981: Segment from Sycamore to Byron abandoned, small spur in Byron sold to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railway
- 1985: Segment from Villa Park to Carol Stream abandoned
- 1993: Segment through the DuPage Airport abandoned and realigned
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 2011: Segment from West Chicago to St. Charles is abandoned
- 1980s-Present: Great Western Trail extends from Maywood to Carol Stream and from St. Charles to Sycamore
- 2010-Present: Sangamon Valley Trail is developed in pieces between Barr and Girard
- 1985-Present: Spur in Byron operated by Canadian Pacific Railway
06/26/21
This bridge was a very unique find, sitting in a field near Egan, Illinois.
It appears the landowner has preserved the structure, for reasons unknown. However, one can get a good idea of how a stone arch works by visiting this structure.
The celing is exposed, and a clear path to the structure has been created. The bridge was likely built to cross a cattle pass or possibly, a small stream.
Otherwise, the bridge is a typical type of stone arch, with mortar solidifying the joints. It was likely built in the mid to late 1890s to replace a trestle span.
It is recommended to recieve permission before accessing the bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.
The bridge is just west of Leaf River Road, but north of Egan Road.