The 1868 Thompson Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that crosses the Kaskaskia River 2 miles northeast of Cowden, in Shelby County, Illinois. The 160-foot-4-inch Howe truss bridge is only 10 feet 7 inches wide, making it the narrowest covered bridge in Illinois. Its siding stops before reaching the top cord to allow light to come in under the roof. The bridge was constructed in 1868; it was built in Michigan, shipped to Shelbyville, and hauled to the river crossing by horse-drawn wagons. The road the bridge carried was an important transportation corridor connecting Springfield, Taylorville, and Effingham. The bridge also provided area residents access to the Thompson Mill, a corn mill and sawmill which operated from 1843 to 1914.

The road on which this bridge is located was once an important route between Springfield and Effingham. The bridge was completed in the autumn of 1868 for $2,500 and named for the owner of the first mill near here. The truss of this bridge is 105 feet long, while the roof of the bridge protects the truss from the weather.

It is now one of the few historic covered bridges remaining in Illinois. The bridge has been closed to automobile traffic but remains open to pedestrians.

Thompson Mill Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1975.

Located at:  N39 15.520   W88 49.087        -        WGCB #13-87-01

Photographed in May of 2023

Photos by Millard Farmer