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Bridges
Mar 6, 2008 18:47:23 GMT -6
Post by John on Mar 6, 2008 18:47:23 GMT -6
The original Bridge Street Bridge, built around 1870.
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Bridges
Nov 30, 2009 17:31:14 GMT -6
Post by John on Nov 30, 2009 17:31:14 GMT -6
This old pier that is still standing was the pier for the first bridge built over the Vermillion River in Streator. Built in 1868, this is the pier for the old Chicago, Ottawa and Oswego Railroad that was built by Colonel Ralph Plumb and known as the "Stub End" Railroad that carried coal from the Vermillion Coal Company to Wenona. The Vermillion Coal Company was a slope mine near where Water Street is today.
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Bridges
Dec 2, 2009 12:51:58 GMT -6
Post by DumDave on Dec 2, 2009 12:51:58 GMT -6
It came under the control of the Chicago & Alton (The railroad next to old Route 66 in Illinois) & was extended to Lacon w/ another branch that went from Varna to the Peoria area Via a connection with the T. P.&W. This branch followed today's rt 89. To the east of town & parallel to the NYC, there was another branch that went from Dwight (main line of the C&A.) to Streator going through Blackstone.
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Bridges
Dec 27, 2009 11:10:05 GMT -6
Post by John on Dec 27, 2009 11:10:05 GMT -6
When they were rebuilding the Bridge Street bridge in 1973.
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jimb
New Member
Posts: 5
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Bridges
Jan 3, 2010 15:52:12 GMT -6
Post by jimb on Jan 3, 2010 15:52:12 GMT -6
Blue Star We used to go & drive off on this dirt road out by Sandy Ford Bridge. It would eventually dead-end @ the river in a clearing just north of the bridge. We used to drink beer, tell lies, BBQ & it had a rope that we could use to swing out over the river to swim. A Dave Story:. Around 1970, I was visiting a (former SHS grad.) friend in Pensacola, Fla. We went out to this railroad bridge where abut two dozen folks were jumping off the bridge into a river. There was only one place to safely jump & it was marked by a bit of carpet nailed to a R.R. tie. The train came, I was frozen on the middle of the bridge,too scared to jump. Well that train convinced me! -Dave -Dave For a long time there was a dirt road that ran along the river there and came out by the Red,White,and Blue bridge. I can remember riding my bike to the Sandy Ford bridge in 71 when I was 13. Wasn't brave enough at that age to go down and hang out with the skinny dipppers from the rock concert...But if I'd been a couple years older probably could have been a lot of fun.
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Bridges
Jan 3, 2010 19:51:44 GMT -6
Post by Job on Jan 3, 2010 19:51:44 GMT -6
[/img][/quote] Is this the project that put Cephas Williams' company out of business?
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Bridges
Jan 4, 2010 10:52:33 GMT -6
Post by DumDave on Jan 4, 2010 10:52:33 GMT -6
If his son was running it................ probably. BTW The last bldg. built by Cephas Williams was the "Butternut Bread" store just south of the hospital.
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Bridges
Jan 7, 2010 11:26:05 GMT -6
Post by Job on Jan 7, 2010 11:26:05 GMT -6
In the Spring, we had "gym" at the ball field by the Armory. The class was just before lunch. After the class, a number of us would scamper across the river on the rocks which constituted the first ford of the river. Those rocks were, and probably still are, located a couple of hundred yards upriver from the bridge.
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Bridges
Jan 7, 2010 21:01:23 GMT -6
Post by bluejay201 on Jan 7, 2010 21:01:23 GMT -6
Don't know if the rocks are still there, probably moved them when they put the canoe launch in. Found an old? plat book that had the curve in the road for the ford. I don't remember if it was an old plat book or a reprint of the 1870 and 1876 plat book. Memory is getting better, but ....
Joanie
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Bridges
Jan 7, 2010 21:23:05 GMT -6
Post by Job on Jan 7, 2010 21:23:05 GMT -6
Don't know if the rocks are still there, probably moved them when they put the canoe launch in. Found an old? plat book that had the curve in the road for the ford. I don't remember if it was an old plat book or a reprint of the 1870 and 1876 plat book. Memory is getting better, but .... Joanie "Upriver" Joan. In other words, to the south of the bridge.
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Post by bluejay201 on Jan 8, 2010 5:44:49 GMT -6
"upriver"...but our river flows backwards.....so are we up/down river....Sorry about that.
When he mentioned the "first ford" I was thinking of the one where Streator got its name. Where our first townspeople upon seeing someone coming would rush to watch the wagons as they had a "hardscrabble" to get up the hill. That one was to the north of the Main St. bridge.
Joanie
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Bridges
Jan 8, 2010 12:05:30 GMT -6
Post by DumDave on Jan 8, 2010 12:05:30 GMT -6
Job & his little friends would go upstream (south) to pull the wings off of flys, divide up the loot & the such..........
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Bridges
Jan 8, 2010 14:47:07 GMT -6
Post by Job on Jan 8, 2010 14:47:07 GMT -6
About a quarter of a mile south of the rocks, on the west side of the river, was a junk yard we called "Camels." We used to row across the river at night to try to steal "spinners/knobs" from junked cars. We also found out the meaning of the term "junk yard" dog.
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Bridges
Jan 8, 2010 17:51:56 GMT -6
Post by John on Jan 8, 2010 17:51:56 GMT -6
There was also a junkyard north of the Main Street bridge where the canoe launch is now.
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Bridges
Jan 8, 2010 20:44:52 GMT -6
Post by bluejay201 on Jan 8, 2010 20:44:52 GMT -6
The name of the junk yard might have been "Brothers". Seems to me that one of the brothers died and the other returned home. Would the late 1940s - early 50s be the correct time frame???
Joanie
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