REOPENING MONDAY–The Little Mary’s River Covered Bridge by Chester will officially reopen to the public on Monday, Sept. 22. The bridge was severely damaged by strong winds on July 1, 2023, but it has been restored as closely as possible to how it was originally. Ericha Johanning took this picture of the bridge last month as restoration work was finishing up.
On Sept. 16, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the historic Little Mary’s River Covered Bridge, a pedestrian-only structure located along Illinois 150 approximately four miles north of Chester in Randolph County, is scheduled to reopen on Monday, Sept. 22, following a nearly yearlong restoration effort.
The $312,000 project carefully balanced historic preservation with modern safety upgrades following a severe windstorm in early 2023 that damaged the bridge’s roof, fire suppression system and video monitoring equipment.
Originally built in 1854, the 86 foot bridge is the oldest of Illinois’ remaining covered bridges and the only one in southern Illinois. The bridge was acquired by the state of Illinois in the 1930s as a historic site and was fully renovated in 2005. It is listed on the Illinois Historic Sites Survey and remains a valued landmark for residents and visitors.
For more on the covered bridge, please see this week’s print edition.