Chain of Rocks Bridge named Historic Site

Chain of Rocks bridge

A Madison County bridge once scheduled for demolition recently won a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, now a mile-long bike and walking path that links Madison to St. Louis, went on the register last month.

It opened in 1929 as a toll bridge. It was an important highway link to Missouri. In 1936, it became part of historic Route 66 that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles.

The city of Madison bought the bridge in 1939. It now is leased by Trailnet Inc. of St. Louis, a nonprofit group that promotes bike and walking trails.

The main benefit from the bridge's latest honor is to make it more attractive for tourists to the area, said Kathi Weilbacher, Trailnet spokeswoman.

"It's pretty much the prestige and the honor of being named and that the structure is of local significance," Weilbacher said Tuesday.