Built in 1949, over the recently opened Chain of Rocks Canal, this bridge was largely obsolete in 16 years, when the new 270 bridge opened. Before that, it had carried a Route 66 Bypass to the old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which is now converted into a bike and pedestrian bridge. Thus, Chouteau Island is actually a man-made island, once attached to the Illinois shore.

The sun was glistening off the water of the canal the day we visited, and it is an interesting sight to behold

Ironically, the bridge built to replace it, some several hundred feet to the north, was just replaced in the last year or so.

Come see my lecture about the architecture of Louis Sullivan at the Saint Louis Art Museum today, Thursday, Jan. 7th at 11:00 AM and Jan. 8th at 6:00 PM.