Robert Parker Coffin Bridge, National Register-listed covered bridge in Long Grove, Illinois.
The Robert Parker Coffin Bridge is a covered road bridge over Buffalo Creek in Long Grove, Illinois. It has a steel truss frame where the parts are joined by pins rather than rivets, and its wooden enclosure gives it the look of a traditional covered bridge.
The bridge was built in 1906 by the Joliet Bridge and Iron Company as an open steel structure with no covering at all. A wooden enclosure was added in 1972 to limit the clearance height and keep heavier vehicles from crossing.
The bridge received its current name in honor of Robert Parker Coffin, an architect who served as Long Grove village president for over twenty years.
The bridge fits only one lane of traffic at a time and has a low clearance height, so taller vehicles cannot pass through. Drivers of larger vehicles should check the route before arriving to avoid any problems.
After a recent renovation, the bridge gained local attention because oversized vehicles kept hitting it and causing damage. This turned it into a well-known spot in the community, though for reasons nobody had planned.
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