Chicago Landmarks
 

Cortland Street Drawbridge

Bridge, looking northwest     Address: 1440 W. Cortland St.
Year Built: 1902
Architect: John Ernst Ericson
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: July 24, 1991

Pivot Bearing Block Drawing This structure marked a major advancement in the design of movable bridges. The first of its kind completed in the United States, this Chicago-type, leaf-lift (trunnion bascule) bridge became an international model for structures spanning navigable waterways. It also established Chicago as the leader in this form of civil engineering.