The village of Lyndon in Whiteside County is seeking community support to preserve a piece of its history.

Village Clerk and Office Manager Maureen Johnson said work is underway to inspect the Lyndon Bridge’s more than 700 planks for weather deterioration and replacement. She said the price to donate a plank is set at $100.

“We’ve always had donated planks on the bridge and there’s little plaques on there that people can personalize as a way to keep the bridge going,” Johnson said. “Over the last few months, we were going through a new process of replacing the plaques on the bridge and replacing planks because weather deterioration has put them in a bad place. So we’re putting new plaques and new planks on the bridge and encouraging people to donate to the project again.”

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 9

The historic Lyndon bridge is seen Thursday, July 30, 2025, spanning the Rock River. Closed in 1980, the village continues to sell plank repairs for a $100 donation with a name plate being dedicated to the donor. (Alex T. Paschal)

Once almost lost to time, the bridge at 126 Sixth Ave. West stands today as a restored symbol of community perseverance and historic pride.

According to a timeline of the bridge on the village’s website, its story began in 1876, when the village’s petition to build a bridge across the Rock River was denied by the Whiteside County Board. That was followed by a failed construction attempt in 1886 because of a lack of funding.

In 1891, Lyndon Township petitioned for a special election to raise $10,000. However, Prophetstown Township refused to “enter into any joint contract … to build or maintain such said bridge."

The following year, a vote passed overwhelmingly and a $16,400 contract was awarded to Keefer & Wyncoop for a Parker Pratt Through Truss-style bridge. Despite its early reluctance, Prophetstown Township agreed to cost-sharing and the bridge was completed in 1894 for $19,606.

The bridge was modernized over the decades, including major upgrades in 1906 to accommodate automobiles. Repairs continued through 1979 until structural concerns led to its closure in 1980.

After the bridge sat unattended for the next 15 years, the Whiteside County Highway Department decided to demolish the bridge until Lyndon residents launched a grassroots Save Our Bridge campaign. A 1996 petition with 300 signatures led to the village’s annexation of the bridge. It later was deemed safe for pedestrian use, with grants and community support funding repairs and enhancements.

The Lyndon Bridge earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, thanks to local advocate Fred Steele.

Continued enhancements and a place in the Rock River Trail Initiative (2013) make the bridge a vital community landmark.

For more information, call Lyndon Village Hall at 815-778-4484. To sponsor a bridge plank, visit villageoflyndon.org and click on the Donate/Merch tab.