Chester Bridge and the Mississippi River, Chester, Illinois
A view of the Chester Bridge looking to the northwest from the Illinois banks of the Mississippi River. Pusher boats, such as the one seen crossing under the bridge pushing barges, are a common sight along the busy Mississippi River.
The Chester Bridge is a continuous truss bridge connecting Illinois Route 150 with Missouri Route 51 across the Mississippi River between Chester, Illinois and Perryville, Missouri. The bridge opened in 1942 and operated as a toll bridge until 1989. Tragedy struck the bridge on a stormy night in July, 1944 when a windstorm of tornadic force caused two 670-foot spans to collapse into the river. Reconstruction took two years before the bridge was reopened to traffic in 1946. The Chester Bridge is the only bridge spanning the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The Chester Bridge can be seen in the 1967 film In "The Heat of the Night" starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. At the 1968 Academy Awards, this classic film was nominated for seven Oscars, and won a total of five including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rod Steiger. Principal filming for the film was done in Sparta, Illinois (portrayed as Sparta, Mississippi) in Randolph County a short 20 miles from Chester. The bridge scene comes early in the film when a murder suspect is apprehended running across the bridge.
It is likely the Chester Bridge will be replaced sometime this decade. The current condition of the Chester Bridge is poor, and the Chester Bridge Project is listed as the #2 bridge priority by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MDOT). Looking ahead, MDOT already is accepting proposals for the reuse of the current bridge, which is now eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chester Bridge and the Mississippi River, Chester, Illinois
A view of the Chester Bridge looking to the northwest from the Illinois banks of the Mississippi River. Pusher boats, such as the one seen crossing under the bridge pushing barges, are a common sight along the busy Mississippi River.
The Chester Bridge is a continuous truss bridge connecting Illinois Route 150 with Missouri Route 51 across the Mississippi River between Chester, Illinois and Perryville, Missouri. The bridge opened in 1942 and operated as a toll bridge until 1989. Tragedy struck the bridge on a stormy night in July, 1944 when a windstorm of tornadic force caused two 670-foot spans to collapse into the river. Reconstruction took two years before the bridge was reopened to traffic in 1946. The Chester Bridge is the only bridge spanning the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
The Chester Bridge can be seen in the 1967 film In "The Heat of the Night" starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. At the 1968 Academy Awards, this classic film was nominated for seven Oscars, and won a total of five including Best Picture and Best Actor for Rod Steiger. Principal filming for the film was done in Sparta, Illinois (portrayed as Sparta, Mississippi) in Randolph County a short 20 miles from Chester. The bridge scene comes early in the film when a murder suspect is apprehended running across the bridge.
It is likely the Chester Bridge will be replaced sometime this decade. The current condition of the Chester Bridge is poor, and the Chester Bridge Project is listed as the #2 bridge priority by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MDOT). Looking ahead, MDOT already is accepting proposals for the reuse of the current bridge, which is now eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.