Cortland Street Drawbridge

Historic bascule bridge on Chicago's North Branch — a pioneer of the bridge design that made the city famous worldwide.

The Cortland Street Drawbridge spans the North Branch of the Chicago River in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Originally known as the Clybourn Place Drawbridge, it was the first bascule bridge of its type built in Chicago — a design that became so emblematic of the city that Chicago today has more movable bridges than any other city in the world. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has designated it a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The bridge still opens regularly for river traffic, offering a dramatic view of the Chicago skyline that draws crowds of onlookers.