Chicago’s Moveable Bridges

Chicago is home to more moveable bridges than any other city in the country, keeping all sides of the city connected despite waterways that cut across them. Explore how these marvels of engineering helped shape the Chicago we know today. Bridges of all kinds spanned the Chicago River until the early 20th century, when a new, “Chicago-style” bridge was perfected: today’s trunnion bascule bridges, whose spans rise dramatically into the sky. Learn about the history of Chicago bridge engineering, how bridges hastened the city’s growth and the variety of styles architects have employed for the design of these connectors and their bridge houses.