The General Dean Suspension Bridge spans the

Kaskaskia River The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 in central and southern Illinois in the Un ...

at Carlyle in

Clinton County, Illinois Clinton County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. At the 2020 census, the population was 37,762. Its county seat is Carlyle. In 1960, the United States Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in Clinton County. Clinto ...

, United States. It is named after Major General

William F. Dean William Frishe Dean Sr. (August 1, 1899August 24, 1981) was a United States Army Major general (United States), major general during World War II and the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 20 and 21, 1950, during ...

, a native of Carlyle who served during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. The bridge is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. It was added to the Register in 1973.

History

The bridge was originally constructed in 1859 at a cost of $40,000. The original bridge remained in operation for nearly seventy years. Before the bridge was constructed, travelers were forced to cross the Kaskaskia at Carlyle by ferry or over a mud bridge.Plaque on site
Photograph of plaque at Bridgemeister
In 1950 the

Historic American Buildings Survey Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...

(HABS) recognized the bridge for its architectural significance. HABS recommended preservation of the bridge.Survey number HABS IL-225
- Suspension Bridge, Spanning Kaskaskia River, Carlyle, Clinton County, IL. The

Illinois General Assembly The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 181 ...

set aside $20,000 for bridge restoration in 1951, and in 1953 the bridge was named after

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Dean.Attractions & Outdoor Recreation
, City of Carlyle, Official site

References

External links

Bridgemeister: Several good photos and closeups of the bridge
* * {{National Register of Historic Places Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois Buildings and structures in Clinton County, Illinois Suspension bridges in Illinois National Register of Historic Places in Clinton County, Illinois Historic American Buildings Survey in Illinois Bridges completed in 1859 1859 establishments in Illinois