Nedl, I have some fond memories of the old high bridge. I worked there one summer replacing the roadway across the bridge. No one would have ever driven across it if they hd known what they were driving on.........2 by 4's. There was a building next to the part of the slough they filled in to make a playground and that is where I took the 2X4's laid them sideways until I had twelve and then would nail each one to another until all 12 were nailed together to form a "plank". Not sure how long they were but they were placed on the highbridge and covered over with something like tar paper and then something else placed over that resembling black top.
I was helping several others remove the old flooring and we were using the big long wrecking bars that are about 5 or 6 feet long, I had taken aim at one spot and was driving my bar downward when another worker succeeded in opening up the wood. My bar entered a wide open hole full force and as it tore loose from my hands I saw a boat passing under the bridge and it just missed them by inches.
I used to cross the bridge to buy fireworks and to visit the camps of some of the fishermen on the Illinois side.
Does anyone remember the hobo jungles along our river front? They were kind of creepy but I passed through some of them as a young boy also.
One thing that has long become extinct I believe are the wild blue grapes, very tiny in size that grew along the river. Made great wild jelly though.
