Was a little scary for my sister, 80 year old mother and brother to be there and not another sole or any protection around. Is there some history to this? The whole area seems a bit suspect and is a bit isolated. Speaking for everyone else who has been victimized, what harm would it do for Madison County to charge a fee and post a guard? You were robbed on the Illinois side? I'm on the orange bike two bikes ahead. This was the Chain of Rocks. By 1913, when construction of tower #2 began, the intake capacity of the older tower had become inadequate to meet the water needs of the City. ). For the other car there she lost everything. As always, I hope you enjoyed this edition of Unseen St. Louis. Sep 14, 2012. I rated terrible because of the danger of crime ,if St Louis would get its act together and allow law enforcement to enforce law and order I would rate it excellent. Anyway, we were fortunate enough not to experience crime, had a fantastic time walking the bridge, taking pictures and enjoying the historical significance of this bridgewhere Ole Man River meets everyone in St. Louis on Route 66 AND the Mississippi River National Trail. we actually took our youth group back in november to the bridge, and walked acrossed. When the new toll-free I-270 bridge opened 1000 feet upstream in 1967, the city of Madison removed the toll on the Chain of Rocks Bridge, but traffic quickly dropped from an average of 12,000 vehicles a day to fewer than 100. The Post-Dispatch recounted how the keeper telephoned to say he was running out of provisions, and several attempts were made to deliver new supplies, with the boats struggling to reach the tower and one man falling overboard and nearly drowning. They busted out the back window and got into the trunk and stole all of my lenses out of the bag. Multiple rock ledges just under the surface made this stretch of the Mississippi River extremely dangerous to navigate. 1 Review . You will drive on a bridge over the Chain-of-Rocks Canal bridge before reaching the Chain-of-Rocks Bridge itself. http://www.rollanet.org/~conorw/cwome/article4.htm. The bridge remained abandoned and unused for decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYU1SBfY68. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 301 Riverlands Way So, the rapids you see today are minimal of what it was like back in 1929. When you park on either side, put your things in your trunk BEFORE you get there as you ARE being watched on the MO side. American Classic 2011-2023. To get to the Illinois trail end from I-270, take Exit 3 onto Illinois Route 3 South/Lewis and Clark Blvd. No police presence and hoodlums are everywhere waiting to prey on out of towners. In the mid 1990's, a Bigfoot monster truck drove over the "chain of rocks" located just downstream from the Chain of Rocks Bridge. Being teens, this direction was largely ignored. Julie was 20, while Robin and Thomas were both 19. and continue 2.2 miles to parking at the end of the road. For nearly three decades the fate of the bridge was uncertain, though demolition seemed its most likely end. This week in Unseen St. Louis: lets visit the unusual bridge known as the Chain of Rocks Bridge and the fascinating history of the area around it. but still only a couple minutes from my river. Don't leave any valuables in the vehicle at all (this includes purses, electronic items, etc. However, I honestly don't think it should be promoting this as a tourist attraction at all. It's a nice walk and the view is tremendous! After the women were raped, they were forced off the bridge along with Tom. I grew up in Glasgow Village, spent many school picnics marching to the park. I found a cool aerial picture of the site. Flickr/Joz3.96 A terrifying tale emerged of that evening's events. In 1998, the bridge was leased to Trailnet, a local trails group, who have renovated the bridge for pedestrian and cycling use. The bridge is free to pedestrians and bicycles, but parking for the bridge is only on the Illinois side. Want more detailed descriptions? The bridge will be closed from January 11 through 14 and January 17 for Eagle Days preparation. Visit from the Illinois side and take a walk upto the bridge and along the bridge. they dont finger print anymore. Fortunately, the public got its money's worth. This is the jurisdiction of the St. Louis City. Tower #1 was not meeting the rising demand for water in the City of St. Louis and a second intake was built in 1913. It is a little depressing to read the posts about robberies and vandalism.. here is my video--paste into your browser! side and while I didn't have any problems I didn't get a good feeling about the area. In Illinois, travel a short distance east on Chain of Rocks Road to reach the Eagle Points Trail and Madison County . It would be terrible to lose this beauty to tornado! The first water intake tower, and the larger of the two, was designed by William S. Eames in the Romanesque Revival style and was built in 1894. Nowadays, the land around the Chain of Rocks, and the entirety of the other two islands, provides wildlife habitat and flood storage and is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Harder to get to, but nice . Marlin A. The initial plan for the bridge was a straight bridge, 40 feet wide, with five trusses forming 10 spans. whatta cool bridge! Reginald Clemons pleads guilty to murder in Old Chain of Rocks Bridge case Joel Currier Dec 19, 2017 0 1 of 3 Reginald Clemons during a hearing on Sept. 17, 2012, in court in St. Louis.. Today it is a popular site for tourists, cyclists, and birdwatchers. I was very excited to visit the bridge with my two little kids and my husband. Bathrooms on the other side of bridge wer We walked across the bridge and when we returned our car window was bashed in and items had been stolen from the car. Of course with a group of teenage boys, probably robbers would look for easier prey. Check out Rivergator here and here. Proceed with caution and don't park on the MO side. LOUIS A man fighting his conviction and death sentence in a 1991 double-murder on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge failed to establish his innocence in the case, according to a special review by . You can see the bridge in the following video, when the yellow cab attempts to cross the bridge: Not everything about the Chain of Rocks location represents fun and games. I have tried to find details in archives but no luck. Tower #1 was not meeting the rising demand for water in the City of St. Louis and a second intake was built in 1913. It is a situation that needs to be resolved, probably on a regional basis involving both states and all nearby communities. As one might expect with such a designation, theres a lot of history about this bridge, as well as the surrounding area. This advice was meant for paddlers, Randy. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Not everything about the Chain of Rocks location represents fun and games. It turns out that it was just four days before the Kerry sisters were murdered. I drove from Dallas to Pgh and made a stop here at sundown in August 2010, during the 100 degree days. The narrowness, altitude, and bend all caused my mother to have a pretty good grip on the arm rest and front seat whenever we crossed it. There has ALWAYS been a bad element from the Missouri side at that bridge. We never had any trouble out there with crime or anything. At 20 feet, the best route over the Chain is between the intake towers and over the rapids. It has several security cameras and presumably they are monitored. This should be happening more often. If you're travelling route 66 you must stop off at the Chain o Rocks bridge. The person in the car who died is an unknown relative and I am putting a family tree together. The Chain of Rocks Bridge opened to traffic in July of 1929, costing $2.5 million, and both approaches were landscaped, with the Missouri side marked by the new amusement park. also its a non-policy she says to come out and do anything even with us having a plate number and had seen the people rob our cars. Great memories, thank you! Not five minutes after leaving our vehicle we heard our car alarm sound, and as we ran back to the parking lot we watched a red car speed off THAT HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT WHEN WE ARRIVED! For well over a century, 17 miles of limestone ledges that make up the chain of rocks had caused trouble for boats and barges trying to navigate the Mississippi River. The canal is a dangerous place for someone in a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard, which is why we recommend taking the Chain if youre paddling. While waiting we heard from two other people, and later from the police that this is a common occurrence that has been happening for years. If the river is below 16 feet on the St. Louis gauge, portage. Just north of St. Louis, a set of rapids known as the Chain of Rocks stretches across the river. You really need to give us some details. Great to see the Mississippi river flowing underneath. The bridge remained abandoned and unused for decades. Bridge hours are from 9 AM to sunset, daily. In 1927 Congress granted a charter to build a toll bridge over the Mississippi at the Chain of Rocks with a projected cost of $1,250,000. The tower is part of the Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Facility, which was built in 1915, and was the largest filter plant in the world at the time of its construction. I was just thinking of that old bridge and googled it on a whim. It was pleasant and beautiful, historic, and provided a great memory, and we will return. We absolutely loved the walk across the bridge. I've always wondered why this bridge changes direction at the center pier. Welcome! its so common that they city have signs, saying what? When I got home I called the police again and it was again confirmed that this happens frequently and that the area directly around the bridge on the Missouri side is considered a high crime area and the police officer on the phone said he wouldn't recommend being anywhere around this area. It was one of the best mini vacations in my life. P-D, 1/30: In Sunday's column, I wrote about the rash of car break-ins at the parking lot on the Missouri side of the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The canal needed deep enough water for the ships that would use it, and to raise the level of the canal, engineers needed to raise the river level as well. 9 Reviews . I probably would have stayed on the bridge longer but I was nervous about leaving my car unattended. The old Chain of Rocks Bridge spans the Mississippi River on the north side of St. Louis, Missouri. The rapes and murders of Julie and Robin Kerry occurred on April 5, 1991, on the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. Does anyone have information on a car that intentionally drove off the bridge at the turn in 1954? At least there were no fatalities in our area from the storms. Ultimately Tom wasnt able to represent the book, so Jeanine became the sole author and spoke about the traumatic incident on the press tour. Source unknown. The Canal is narrow, theres no safe place to pull aside if barge traffic is heavy, and the scenery is a bore. Trailnet Inc., the nonprofit group that maintains the bridge, announced Monday that the era of window smashings is over. Heavy damage to their vehicle as well. Then in 1936 Highway 66 was rerouted to go over the bridge. Thanks for sharing. We stopped by to see this beautiful bridge on our way home (Indiana) from Las Vegas, via route 66. This is unfortunate as these thugs ruin a nice trip to a wonderful landmark. The Chain is no longer entirely natural. When I was growing up in the 80's the bridge was still closed and was a fun thing for a teenager to be on. I hate to see a piece of our history ruined by the worthless punks who break a $400 window for $3 worth of change left in the console. Bike path is open all days and can easily be accessed from the Riverfront Trail. Of all the nice things said about the bridge, there's one not so nice thing..in 1991, Two sisters, Julie and Robin Kerry, were rapped and pushed off the bridge, and died that April nice. these are picutres of my family we took while visiting the old chain of rocks bridge. I rated terrible because of the danger of crime ,if St Louis would get its act together and allow law enforcement to enforce law and order I would rate it . Very interesting and informative!! On. I would hate for anyone else to go through what we did. For more on the intake towers, heres a nice video of bridge and intake tower exteriors, and heres a site with some interior photos of one of the intake towers. The bridge is free to pedestrians and bicycles, but parking for the bridge is only on the Illinois side. Youll always have the option to portage by exiting on the left side of the river (left as youre facing downstream) just above the fishing access on Chouteau Island (river mile 190.3); look for piles of white rip-rap along the bank. Such ashame that St Louis is turning into another Detroit. (Missourians, dont fretthe Great Rivers Greenway recently received a $990,000 grant from a National Park Service program and will be using that to improve the Missouri side of the bridge and reopen the parking lot. Thanks for the memories. I hope all enjoy it! Please do not park there. So far it's turning out to be a rough spring, more severe weather is on the way and the rivers are on the rise :-O. The Chain of Rocks Bridge was a toll bridge, bringing in $900,000 a year to the city of Madison IL in its heyday. The street view on 15 Mar 17 shows the MO side gated and posted as closed. I think that St. Louis, MO is the only city in the nation that is not in a county, thus, depends entirely on its own police department for security. Their website says the following: Parking and Trail Access. 27, the most southern lock and dam on the Mississippi. Originally a motor route, the bridge was for a time the route used by U.S. Route 66 to cross over the Mississippi, but the bridge now carries only walking and biking trails over the river; the New Chain of Roc Great view of the city and the water intake buildings. Very much like the Old Williamstown Bridge in Washington County Ohio and Wood County West Virginia. I feel bad for Robin and Kerry. If you like what youre reading, please consider subscribing so you dont miss the next one. and i'm happy to say the van was not bothered at all. IS THERE ANYONE IN EDWARDSVILLE OR GRANITE CITY THAT CAN GIVE ME SOME TRUTH? Take the Chain. Just south of the bridge is a stretch of rocky rapids that made this segment of the river difficult to navigate. Eagle Days on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is coming up this weekend. The bridge is now frequently used by joggers and bikers, and is a popular place for eagle watching in the winter. In 1966, a New Chain of Rocks Bridge was built immediately to the north and the old Chain of Rocks Bridge was subsequently closed on February 25, 1970. The bridge is named after an un-navigable portion of the river caused by a large outcropping of bedrock exposed in the river channel. Below youll find a few important tips to keep in mind as you approach the rapids. GREAT JOB TRAILNET and MADISON ILLINOIS! Don't forget to lock the glove department on the vehicle. We used to drive across it before the new I-270 highway bridge was built and it seemed strange to have the sharp curve out in the center. But you're here on BridgeHunter and that's a good thing! The "park at your own risks" signs really make me angry. Be forewarned: even after you get through the Chain, dangerous swiftwater conditions await you not far downstream in the St. Louis Harbor around all of the docks, wharves and bridge piers! not really sure out side of that. It is their job to protect and to SERVE. It is a two-mile round trip easy hike or bike across this historic old bridge that soars high above the Mississippi River between Madison, Illinois . The women drowned; Tom survived the 48-foot fall and swam to shore. This bridge was the highlight of the trip for me. In fact, in January 1904 the river froze, and William Maas had to stay at the his intake tower longer than usual in order to break up the ice. Part of the old Route 66, and had some very nice views. For the newer bridge, see New Chain of Rocks Bridge. Whats interesting about this particular dam is that it rests almost entirely underwater. Grew up minutes away from here, I use to walk this bridge lots, isn't that what that hole in the fence was for. Unable to maintain the bridge, Madison closed it in 1968. If you look out into the distance, you can even make out the Arch in the distance. I wish Trailnet would hire someone to catch the people responsible. Very neat preservation project but they need to invest in a security guard or an attendant on both sides of the river. I am afraid I should have given out if the brave fellows had not reached me last night. You should call and ask to see the security footage. I was with my boyfriend and felt safe there: but wouldn't walk it by myself from the Missouri Side. I JUST LEARNED THAT TEH BRIDGE WAS USED IN THE MOTION PICTURE, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, AND THAT HORRIBLE MURDERS HAPPENED THERE IN 1991. American Classic 1963-1972. Review. There has been talk of constructing a visitor's center at the Illinois parking lot (in the form of a replica of the old tollbooth), where a full-time park ranger would be stationed. The guidelines below are based on the river height as measured at the St. Louis Gauge. Maas himself recounted the difficulties he experienced: This has been the hardest winter I have ever experienced at the tower. I now live in Indianapolis, and took my family back there to visit. The confluence is one of my favorite places, and I paddle there often. We visited this bridge on a whim. We spent time on the bridge, walking it and marvelling at the water towers. The city hoped to recoup some of the losses by selling the steel, but then the value of scrap steel plummeted. Sadly, the same can't be said for the southeast area of the country from yesterday's storms. Built in 1966, the Chain of Rocks Bridge has needed more and more repairs in recent years as traffic continues to increase. My apologies. The bridge had beautifully landscaped approaches. Twice per year, classic cars are allowed to cross. Those who remained had to abandon their homes after. After seeing this bridge mentioned in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, I decided to look it up online and consider visiting it. The presence of crime is felt100%!!! What are those two castles in the river? Just north of St. Louis, a set of rapids known as the Chain of Rocks stretches across the river. For your security, we need to re-authenticate you. i think its on the bridge for picture opts. Yes, well aware of mother nature and her pms first hand, got shingles and a shutter blown off of my house and lost two trees! The old Chain of Rocks Bridge spans the Mississippi River on the north edge of St. Louis, Missouri. That is a real "black eye" for our region and to this stately, historic landmark. A car show was held on the bridge this fall. On April 5, 1991, sisters Julie (20) and Robin Kerry (19) were hanging out with their cousin Thomas Cummins on the Chain of Rocks Bridge. Nowadays, the land around the Chain of Rocks, and the entirety of the other two islands, provides wildlife habitat and flood storage and is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

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