Old Stone Arch

The Old Stone Arch is a stone arch bridge in Marshall built entirely from limestone blocks without mortar. The construction demonstrates the basic techniques of early American bridge builders.

This structure was built between 1828 and 1837 as part of a large road project carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It remains today as evidence of that early construction period in Illinois.

The arch shape and limestone blocks show how builders of the 1800s worked without modern machinery. You can still see how each stone fits carefully into place today.

The bridge sits beneath modern Route 40 and is accessible from the road. A historical marker by the guardrail points the way for viewing.

While many bridges at that time were built with mortar, this one held its stones together through weight and shape alone. This simple but effective method kept the structure standing for decades.