There’s just something so sweet and charming about a covered bridge. History combined with a picturesque natural setting adds to the allure of these structures that connect us from one side of a river to the other. One such bridge is Illinois’ longest covered bridge that you can find hiding out in the tiny town of Greenup.

Along the Historic National Road which follows Old Highway 40, is where you can find the Cumberland County Covered Bridge.

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At 200-feet, this is the longest covered bridge in the state and spans across the Embarras River, .

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The bridge’s width expands 14.1-feet and it has a vertical clearance of 16-feet.

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Although this bridge looks old, it is not. The original was of wooden construction built in 1832 by Abe and Thomas Lincoln and Dennis Hanks.

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr In 1865, the original was washed out and reconstructed in 1875 only to be washed out another time in 1912. In 1920, the bridge was replaced once more and held out until 1996, when (as you may have already guessed), it was wiped out yet again.

In 2000, the Cumberland County Covered Bridge, as it is now known, was built to replicate the original version from 1832.

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When you visit, take a walk inside and gaze upon the interior with all the trusses. It looks like this bridge is built to last!

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At the Cumberland County Covered Bridge site is a board that shares information about the bridges that have spanned across the Embarras River. It is quite the picture-perfect historical site in the area!

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Have you visited the charming Cumberland County Covered Bridge? What other covered bridges have you seen around the Prairie State? Please let us know in the comments.

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In 1865, the original was washed out and reconstructed in 1875 only to be washed out another time in 1912. In 1920, the bridge was replaced once more and held out until 1996, when (as you may have already guessed), it was wiped out yet again.

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For more information on this covered bridge, visit the Village of Greenup website here.

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Address: 6RQ7+G4 Greenup, IL, USA