Chicago River Bascule Bridge, Wells Street, Spanning South Branch Chicago River at North Wells Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL

Significance: The development of the Chicago trunnoin bascule bridge occurred during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Despite the controversy over patent infringement Joseph E. Strauss charged the City of Chicago engineers with infringing on his patented Strauss-Trunion bascule bridge the Chicago bascule received great acclaim within the civil engineering profession. The Wells Street Bridge is the longest of three double-deck, double-leaf, bascule bridges built over the Chicago River.
Survey number: HAER IL-52
Building/structure dates: 1922 Initial Construction