Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
- Historic bridge
- In Glenarm, Illinois
- 0.7 mi from Route 66
- National Register of Historic Places
Sugar Creek Covered Bridge in Glenarm, IL, spans Sugar Creek southeast of Chatham with a Burr truss. Thomas Black built it, though sources disagree on whether that was in 1827 or 1880. It is the oldest of the state's five surviving historic covered bridges. Closed to cars since 1984, it now sits in a local park with picnic space, about 0.6 mile off the old road.
What is Sugar Creek Covered Bridge?
The bridge uses a Burr truss and measures 110 feet long and 30 feet wide. It no longer carries traffic; instead it is the heart of a local park that has a picnic area, so you can see it up close in a quiet setting. Covered bridges are rare in Illinois, which is what makes this one worth the short detour. Because the builder's date is uncertain, the bridge is either nearly two centuries old or a little under 150, older than Route 66 itself by decades either way.
History of Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
Thomas Black built the bridge, but the record is split on the date: some sources say 1827, others 1880. The State of Illinois took it over in 1963 and gave it a major renovation two years later. It closed to traffic in 1984.
Listed on the National Register in January 1978, it is counted as the oldest of the five historic covered bridges left in the state.
Visiting Sugar Creek Covered Bridge: tips
The bridge is about 0.6 mile off the old road and is listed as wheelchair accessible. Allow 20 to 30 minutes, more if you bring a picnic, and have a camera ready for the covered span over the water. For another stop nearby, the Caldwell Farmstead is about 4.9 miles away and the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden about 5.2 miles; the Strawbridge-Shepherd House is about 6.2 miles. It makes a relaxing pause before or after the historic sites of downtown Springfield.
Practical info
- Address
- 769 Covered Bridge Rd #587, Glenarm, IL 62536
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapSugar Creek Covered Bridge with the 6 closest stops and places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
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Stops near Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
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Questions about Sugar Creek Covered Bridge
Can you drive across Sugar Creek Covered Bridge?
No. Cars have been barred since 1984, and the bridge now belongs to a local park.
How old is the bridge?
Sources disagree: it dates from either 1827 or 1880, and either way it is the oldest of the five historic covered bridges remaining in Illinois.
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