What Happened to Chicago’s Lost Lake Bridge?

Video Description

In the mid-1800s, Chicago was a city fighting the lake itself. With storms eroding its shoreline and railroads racing to reach downtown, engineers made a bold gamble: they built a trestle bridge across Lake Michigan. Stretching hundreds of feet over open water, the Illinois Central’s wooden causeway carried trains above the waves—and forever changed Chicago’s lakefront. This unlikely structure triggered fierce battles over commerce, corruption, and public space. It blocked ships, created new land, and ultimately set the stage for Grant Park and the landmark Supreme Court ruling that defined America’s “public trust” doctrine. Join us as we uncover the rise, fall, and legacy of Chicago’s lost lake trestle bridge—a forgotten engineering marvel buried beneath one of America’s most iconic parks. #ChicagoHistory #GrantPark #ItsHistory Support the Channel by becoming a member 👉 https://youtube.com/channel/UCzIZ8HrzDgc-pNQDUG6avBA/join IT’S HISTORY - Weekly Tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2NN2rktA4yMZ4vmNaA3KpsS5KXLj3xVN » Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@ITSHISTORY?sub_confirmation=1 » Listen podcasts: https://ffm.bio/itshistory » CONTACT For brands, agencies, and sponsorships: [email protected] Click here to book a sponsorship with me http://thoughtleaders.io/reserve/its-history » DISCLAIMER Some media elements in this video are used under the fair use provisions of U.S. copyright law (Title 17, Section 107) for purposes of commentary, criticism, and education. If you believe your image or content was used in a way that violates your rights, please contact us at [email protected] » CREDIT Scriptwriter - Ryan Socash Editor - Karolina Szwata Host - Ryan Socash » NOTICE Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.