The Earle C. Clements Bridge, commonly known as the Shawneetown Bridge, is a

cantilever truss bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed ...

carrying

Kentucky Route 56 Kentucky Route 56 (KY 56) is a state highway in Kentucky that runs from Illinois Route 13 (IL 13) near Old Shawneetown, Illinois, on the Shawneetown Bridge at the Kentucky-Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in t ...

and

Illinois Route 13 Illinois Route 13 (IL 13) is a major east–west state route in southern Illinois. Illinois 13 has its western terminus at Cahokia Heights at Illinois Route 157 and its eastern terminus at the Kentucky state line and the Ohio River, at Ken ...

across the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

. Clements was governor of Kentucky in 1947–50 and U.S. senator in 1950–56. The bridge connects

Old Shawneetown, Illinois Old Shawneetown is a village in Shawnee Township, Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 113, down from 193 at the 2010 census. Located along the Ohio River, Shawneetown served as an i ...

, to rural

Union County, Kentucky Union County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,668. Its county seat is Morganfield. The county was created effective January 15, 1811. The county is located on the east bank of the Ohio ...

, where Clements was born, raised and held local office. Opened in 1955, it is the only highway bridge over the Ohio between

Paducah, Kentucky Paducah ( ) is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in the Upland South, and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. The most populous city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located in the Southeastern Unit ...

, and

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...

. Tolls were removed from the bridge June 30, 1978.Bill Powell, Louisville Courier-Journal, July 1, 1978 The Shawneetown Bridge was featured in a scene in the film '' U.S. Marshals''. The film's crash scene was filmed several miles downstream in

Pope County, Illinois Pope County is the southeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,763, making it the second-least populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Golconda. The county was organized ...

References

External links

Historic Bridges of the U.S. - Shawneetown Bridge
Road bridges in Illinois Buildings and structures in Union County, Kentucky Buildings and structures in Gallatin County, Illinois Bridges completed in 1955 Bridges over the Ohio River Road bridges in Kentucky 1955 establishments in Illinois 1955 establishments in Kentucky Cantilever bridges in the United States Truss bridges in the United States {{Kentucky-bridge-struct-stub