The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad began in 1895 as the Bluff City Electric RR (Street car line in Waukegan).    With growth and expansion, the name was changed to Chicago, Milwaukee Railroad.    Its main line traveled through the North Shore suburbs on its way to Milwaukee.  Southern terminus was at Church Street in Evanston.   Eventually, access was obtained on  the Red Line to  down town Chicago.

A branch line was constructed to Mundelein.   In 1924, construction was begun on the Skokie Valley by-pass.  This was constructed to avoid the congestion of the main line.  The new line started at Howard Street.  It went west to Niles Center  From here it extended north and west into a marshy area paralleling the Skokie Branch of the the Chicago and North Western R. R.  At Upton, the new route turned east at the Mundelein Branch until it reached west of Lake Bluff.  A new connection diverged north onto a freight only branch.  It eventually connected to the main line at the North Shore Junction.

 

Stops on this new bypass included:  Howard,  Asbury, Dodge Avenue, Crawford, Dempster, Harmswood, Glenayre,  Wa-Bun, North brook, Woodridge, Briergale, Highmoor, Sheridan Elms, Deerpath, Lake Bluff, Great Lakes, North Chicago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1925, service was provided on this line by the Chicago Transit Company from Howard to Dempster.    Stops on this line were Ridge, Asbury, Dodge,Crawford, Kostner, Oakton, Dempster.    Service ended in 1948.  It was replaced by bus service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1963, North Shore R.R. line service ended.  The CTA resumed service on the Yellow Line between Howard and Dempster

An interesting fact about the Yellow Line is that at one time, the eastern half received power from a third rail; the western half power from overlying wires.   Eventually, the entire system was converted entirely to a third rail system.

During a recent visit to the Utica, Il area spring of 2017, we came  across this building.  According to our research, this was a power substation for the Chicago, Ottawa and Peoria Interurban Railway.

 

 

 

 

     In the Channahon area, the chief engineer  of the  I and M Canal  William Gooding was faced with a decision as how to handle the crossing of the canal and the DuPage River.  In other areas, this situation was handled by building an aqueduct to carry the canal over the intersecting streams.    Gooding decided to construct a dam across the DuPage River.    This was built in 1846–1848.   It was a timber crib structure. The dam produced a stable water elevation of the river.  It forced water into the canal.  Locks were constructed on each side of the dam.  (Locks 6 and 7).  The crossing problem was handled and water was provided to the canal.

   In 1877, the dam was replaced with a structure built of quarried stone. The cost of construction was $3,207.24.   The dam was repaired in 1918, 1920, 1925.    The current dam was built in 1935 by the CCC.  Total cost was $14,647. The spillwater on the dam created a man made waterfall.  It is 165 feet long and 11.5 feet high.

     
 

 

The current bridge over the Illinois River  at  IL 23, IL 71 in Ottawa is known as the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge.  It was built between 1981–1982.  It was a replacement for the Hilliard Bridge.  This was built in 1932-1933.  It was named after a former mayor of Ottawa.   The Hilliard Bridge was a 3 span through truss with a cantilevered center span.  It had pedestrian walks on both sides.  The largest span was 500 feet.  The total bridge length was 1,075.8 feet.

Before the Hilliard Bridge was the Ottawa Wagon Bridge.  It was located over the Illinois River between 1910-1932.

 

 

The current bridge is typically modern.  It is a four lane bridge.  It is a steel plate girder with concrete decks.  The bridge spans measure 385 feet, 510 feet, and 305 feet.  The bridge length is 1,317 feet.  Its width was 57 feet.  Its height above the water is 47 feet.

    The Sheridan Road Bridge crosses over the North Shore Channel and the Wilmette Pumping Station.  It was constructed in 1910.  The builder was unknown.  Chief Engineer was G.M. Wilson.  Chief Electrical Engineer was Edward Ellicott.

     The bridge has 5 main spans.  Main span length is 77 feet.  Structure length is 210 feet.  Roadway width is 46 feet.  The bridge is concrete encased deck plate girder.

 

This is also known as the William Stratton State Park State Bridge

This is not an historical bridge.  It crosses the I and M Canal  in Morris in Stratton State Park.    It has an historical appearance.  It is a steel stringer bridge built in 1971.  It has wooden deck and rails. Its largest span is 33.1 feet.  Total length is 89.9 feet.  Deck width is 21.3 feet.

Deck Inspection as of 6/2011

Deck Condition  Condition Rating                                                    Poor 4 out of 9

Superstructure Condition Rating                                                     Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Substructure Condition Rating                                                         Satisfactory 6 out of 9

Appraisal:  Structurally deficient

This is  a bridge over the I and M Canal in Grundy County.  The nearest adjacent road is Cemetery Road.   I accessed the area in August of 2017.    It was an approximate one mile hike

The bridge was built in 1910.  It was built by the American Bridge Company.  The bridge is a pony/through plate girder.   It was originally owned by the E J and E.  Railroad.  It is now owned by the CNRR.    The bridge is open.  It is  70 feet in length.

Bridge currently is obscured by overgrowth of bushes and trees.  I have included a picture of the bridge that is currently available on the internet.  It is listed below.