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Fall Creek Gorge Arch Bridge, a neglected local landmark
Posted: 05.09.2011 at 10:36 AM
Melissa Shriver

Melissa Shriver is a News Anchor and Reporter for KHQA.

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Fall Creek Gorge Arch Bridge is approximately 1.6 miles north of Fall Creek, Illinois.

 / Photo courtesy of www.qwiki.com
Photo

With all the talk of budget cuts and lack of funding and resources due to states making payments late or not at all, it's not surprising that state-owned landmarks are falling into disrepair.

Stephanie Favre McMullen posted to the KHQA Facebook Fan Page, "Took my kids to see the fall creek stone arch bridge today.  It so sad to see everything so overgrown and unkept there. They have shut down and fenced up the overlook area and covered up the sign for it.  It was such a pretty place back in the day, sad to see it neglected.  The bridge is on the national historic register doesn't the state/county have to care for it?  Shame to think it won't last due to neglect."

MapFallCreekArchBridge

Fall Creek Gorge Arch Bridge is approximately 1.6 miles north of Fall Creek, Illinois.

A nearby marker says, "The bridge has the widest arch span of any stone bridge built in Illinois in the nineteenth century to carry traffic."

The stone arched bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and it is owned by the state of Illinois.

We took this question to Senator John Sullivan.  He says the answer is simple, yet frustrating for him. It's all because of the state budget.

Sen. Sullivan said, "The Department of Natural Resources which oversees the park has been cut not just last year, but many years and they have had to cut personnel. That means they have to close some of the facilities that are out there."

Senator Sullivan says Fall Creek will reopen someday, when the state gets its finances in line and the Department of Natural Resources is funded normally again.

But he says there's no word on when that would be.

What kind of action do you think should be taken by Illinois residents or the state of Illinois?  Post your comments below or take them to our Facebook Page here.

Your point of view
Should it be up to the people to form action groups when state government allows landmarks to fall into disrepair due to lack of funding?

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