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Oregon Covered Bridges
Oregon has over 50 covered bridges. If you are planning
a trip to visit Oregon covered bridges and want to stay at one of our premier
lodgings, look to the left of each city for a link.
Hayden Bridge
This bridge, just two miles west of Alsea, has wooden plank
flooring. The portal, once round in shape, has been squared to
facilitate larger loads.
Fisher School Bridge
Also known as Fiver Rivers Bridge, for the five streams which
make up the river. The bridge was closed to crossing in the
1970s. Infrequent maintenance has caused deterioration.
Crawfordsville Covered Bridge
The Crawfordsville covered
bridge has a double truss, wood shingle roof, and three
support rods at each support location with adjustment nuts
below the bridge. The town and bridge were named after area
settler Philemon Crawford. This bridge is owned by the Linn
County Parks Department.
Milo Academy Bridge
This covered span replaced an earlier wooden truss covered
bridge at this site; it is actually a steel bridge with a
wooden housing and metal roof.
Irish Bend Bridge
Named for its original location along the Willamette River, it
was used from 1954 - the mid-1970s. It was reassembled in 1989
at its present site on the Oregon State University campus.
Chambers Railroad Bridge
About a half a mile from Main Street on South River Road, just
past Harrison Avenue, this bridge is the only remaining
covered railroad bridge in Oregon. It was built in 1925 to
bring logs to the J.H. Chambers Mill in Cottage Grove. The
bridge is 78 feet long.
Currin Bridge
The Currin Bridge, named for an early pioneer family in the
area, is sometimes referred to as the Row River Bridge because
of the Stream it crosses. The original bridge was built by
Nels Roney in 1883 for the cost of $1,935. When the bridge was
to be replaced in 1925, County officials decided it could
build the bridge cheaper than the lowest bid of $6,250. County
employees constructed the bridge for $4,205 and saved a total
of $2,495 tax dollars. Design elements include single-piece
hand hewn chords, cross-wise planking on the approaches, and a
corrugated metal roof.
Dorena Bridge
Located at the upper end of Dorena Reservoir, the Dorena
Covered Bridge was built in conjunction with the completion of
Dorena Dam. Sometimes referred to as Star Bridge, it provides
access to the nearby Star Ranch. Star Ranch was once a large
private estate that has been reduced to about 100 acres. The
original town site named for Dora Burnette and Rena Martin (by
combining parts of their first names) is underwater at the
bottom of the reservoir.
Mosby
Creek Bridge
The Mosby Creek Bridge is Lane County's oldest covered bridge.
It was built in 1920 at a cost of $4,125 and was named for the
pioneer David Mosby. David Mosby settled in 1853 and staked
claim to 1,600 acres east of the present day city of Cottage
Grove.
Stewart Bridge Constructed in 1930, Stewart Bridge has borne the
brunt of many nature's whims. The raging water of the 1964
Christmas Flood caused the lower chords of the bridge to
crack. A few years later, heavy snowfall caused the roof
bracing to give way and the entire roof caved in. Repairs to
the bridge made it usable until it was bypassed in the 1980s
by a concrete bridge.
Ritner Creek Bridge
Ritner Creek Bridge was moved from State Highway 223 to a
wayside park in 1976. The bridge has Gothic windows on each
side and a cedar shake roof.
Pass Creek
Bridge
The Pass Creek covered bridge is one of 51 existing truss
spans in the state. In addition to being one of the oldest
bridges in Oregon, this is one of the few that is within city
boundaries. The original bridge was built in the 1870's as
part of the overland stage route from Roseburg to Scottsburg.
It was rebuilt in 1925, and part of the present truss may be
hand-hewn timbers reused from the 1870 bridge. The roof was
rebuilt in 1969 after damage from heavy snowfall.
Deadwood Bridge
The architectural elements of Deadwood Bridge are quite
unique. Flooring was installed on a slant so that traffic
rounding the corner onto the bridge would travel more safely.
Other elements include false end beams, semi-elliptical portal
arches with trim, and large openings along the west elevation.
The cost to build the bridge totaled $4,814, and it became a
part of the state's secondary road system.
Lake Creek Bridge
The Lake Creek Covered Bridge is often referred to as the
Nelson Mountain Bridge because it is located on Nelson
Mountain Road. Like many covered bridges, both the upper and
lower chords are one piece old-growth timbers. The lower
timbers measure 14" x 14" x 111 feet and the upper timbers
measure 12" x 12" x 79 feet. The bridge was rehabilitated in
1984. Contractors replaced the wooden flooring with pre-cast
concrete slab decking. Because the concrete flooring and
center pier do not support the trusses, a crane was required
to slide the slabs into place. The wooden abutments and
trestle approaches were also replaced with concrete material.
Wildcat Bridge
Wildcat Covered Bridge crosses Wildcat Creek near its
confluence with the Siuslaw River. The 75 foot long span
includes a long narrow opening on the east side to provide a
view of oncoming traffic. The nearby Austa boat ramp provides
access to the Siuslaw River for fishermen.
Cavitt Creek Covered Bridge
The upper supports are raw logs. The odd portal shape was
designed for log truck crossing. The bridge has small windows
on each side and is painted white.
Lowell Bridge
Amos Hyland settled on the Middle Fork of the
Willamette River in 1874 and plotted the small town of Lowell.
Hyland operated a ferry across the Willamette near the present
site of the Lowell Covered bridge, until a bridge was first
built in 1907. That bridge was replaced in 1945 after a truck
accident knocked the truss out of alignment. In 1947, the
structure was housed. The entire bridge was raised 6 feet in
1953 in anticipation of the flooding produced by Dexter Dam.
Calculations about the height of water were correct and the
water level has never risen closer than 2 feet from the bottom
of the bridge.
Parvin Bridge
The Parvin Covered Bridge was built in 1921, replacing a
bridge erected on the site in the late 1880s. Lane County
contracted with George W. Breeding to construct the bridge for
a cost of $3,600. The bridge was bypassed in the mid-1970s
when the road was realigned and it was restricted to
pedestrian traffic. Lane County officials decided to reopen
the bridge in 1986, and attending the opening ceremony were
the granddaughters of James and Salina Parvin, settlers who
had homesteaded in the area during the 1850s.
Pengra Bridge
The Pengra Bridge contains two of the longest timbers ever cut
for a bridge in Oregon. The lower chords measuring 16" x 18" x
126 feet were too large to be ran through a mill and were
therefore rough hewn in the woods. Booth-Kelley Lumber Company
cut and transported the timbers to the bridge site by truck
where they were resurfaced before being set into place. The
bridge was named for B.J. Pengra, a pioneer who eventually
became general Surveyor of Oregon in 1862. Pengra surveyed the
Oregon Central Military Road which linked the Willamette
Valley with the Owyhee mining country of Eastern Oregon.
Unity
Bridge
Lane County used a standard design for the construction of the
Unity Covered Bridge, but they included a full length window
on the east side to give motorists a glimpse of oncoming
traffic. The bridge cost the County $4,400 to construct and
was completed in 1936.
Earnest Bridge
The original covered bridge at this location was built in 1903
by A.C. Striker and was called Adams Bridge. The bridge was
replaced in 1938 by Lane County for a cost of $2,449, and was
renamed after a longtime local resident. A standard Lane
County design element can be seen represented in this bridge:
a small hooded opening on one elevation of the bridge for
improved motorist visibility. The Earnest Bridge appeared in
the movie Shenandoah, filmed in the Mohawk Valley
during the mid-1960s. The movie company altered the bridge to
reflect Civil War architecture, and then restored it back to
the original condition in 1965.
Wendling Bridge
The Wendling Covered Bridge is one of four covered bridges
built by Lane County in 1938. The others are the Pengra,
Goodpasture, and Earnest Covered Bridges. The Wendling Covered
Bridge cost Lane County $2,241 to build. Cross planking on the
bridge approaches rumble slightly as travelers cross over the
scenic Mill Creek just northeast of Marcola.
Horse Creek
Bridge
Close to crossing in 1968, community volunteers coordinated
disassembly and reconstruction of the bridge in 1990 at Myrtle
Creek, where it was restored in a city park.
Neal Lake Bridge
This Kingpost truss bridge is one of the shortest covered
bridges in the state, and the only one with this truss design.
Harris Bridge
Designed in the typical Howe truss style, this 1929 structure
exmplifies all that is romantic about covered bridges. The
Harris Bridge is located along a winding gravel road near
Wren. It is named after the Harris family who settled out side
of Corvallis Oregon in 1890. The current bridge is a
replacement of its original.
Cedar Crossing Bridge
When Multnomah County officials wanted a covered bridge, they
built one to replace an earlier uncovered bridge. It is not
supported by a wooden truss, but by a laminated stringer.
Wimer Bridge
Some people debate over this Queenpost span being built in
1892, rather than 1927, as indicated by builder records. The
bridge features a shingle roof, wooden decking and buttresses.
Gilkey
Bridge
The Gilkey Covered Bridge crosses Thomas Creek. It was
built in 1928. The Gilkey Covered Bridge is one of the best
kept bridges you will visit on the Scio Covered Bridges Tour.
It's clean white paint is a common characteristic of many of
Oregon's Covered Bridges.
Huffman Covered Bridge crosses Crabtree Creek. It was
built in 1936.
Larwood
Bridge
Larwood Covered Bridge spans Crabtree Creek. It was
built in 1939.The Larwood Wayside was developed beside the
bridge and is a great place for a picnic. Picnic tables and a
bathroom are easily accessible. You will be treated with views
of both the Larwood Covered Bridge and an abandon waterwheel
on the south side of Crabtree Creek.
Shimanek Bridge
The Shimanek Covered Bridge was constructed in 1966. It
is painted red with white trim and is kept in good repair
(from external appearances). It bridges Thomas Creek, which is
crossed by Richardson Gap Road. The bridge is pictured looking
to the south from the north side of the bridge.
Gallon House Bridge
Oregon's oldest covered bridge. It was named for the days when
liquor was sold by that gallon or quart in a nearby house. The
bridge was rebuilt in 1990.
Belknap Bridge
The Belknap Bridge, sometimes referred to as the McKenzie
River Bridge, occupies a site in which a covered bridge has
been in continuous use since 1890. The first bridge was
replaced by Lane County in 1911. It was then replaced in 1939
and served traffic until being destroyed in the Christmas
Flood of 1964. The current bridge was designed by the Oregon
Bridge Corporation (OBEC), Eugene for Lane County. Louvered
arch windows were added in 1975 to the south side to provide
interior illumination. The name Belknap refers to early
settlers along the McKenzie River. R.S. Belknap developed
Belknap Springs and his son, J.H. Belknap, was involved in the
toll road over the McKenzie Pass in the early 1870s.
Goodpasture Bridge
One of the most beautiful and photographed covered bridges in
the state, the Goodpasture Covered Bridge is also the second
longest covered bridge in Oregon. The structure has superb
architectural detailing, including 10 gothic style louvered
windows on each side, false end beams, semi-elliptical
portals, and a 165 foot housed Howe truss. Lane County spent
$13,154 constructing the bridge in 1938 and it was named for
the pioneer Goodpasture family, who settled near the town of
Vida.
Stayton-Jordan Bridge
Patterned after the Jordan Bridge, which spanned Thomas Creek,
east of Scio; it was moved to Pioneer Park in 1988, but burned
in 1994. Stayton-Jordan Bridge, newly rebuilt, is used for
picnic and weddings.
Grave Creek Bridge
This bridge, with Gothic style windows on either side, is the
county's only covered span. It once handled crossing on the
main north-south highway, but now serves only local traffic.
Dahlenburg Covered Bridge
The Dahlenburg covered
bridge has a single truss, wood shingle roof, and two support
rods at each support location with adjustment nuts below the
bridge. This bridge was designed and built by the construction
class of Sweet Home High School. The bridge was named after
the instructor of the class, Ben Dahlenburg.
Short Covered Bridge
The Short covered bridge
has a double truss, wood shingle roof, and three support rods
at each support location with adjustment nuts below the
bridge. The bridge is named after Gordon Short, a local
resident.
Weddle Covered Bridge
The Weddle covered bridge
has a double truss, wood shingle roof, and three support rods
at each support location with adjustment nuts below the
bridge. The bridge was named after a farmer. This bridge was
originally located over Thomas Creek on Kelly Road near
Crabtree, Oregon. There was a curve in the road approaching
the bridge and during icy road conditions, cars would
frequently slide into the bridge.
Whittemore Covered Bridge
The Whittemore covered
bridge has a single truss, wood shingle roof, and two support
rods at each support location with adjustment nuts below the
bridge. This is a small-sized footbridge built by school
instructor Ben Dahlenburg and his students. You can walk over
this bridge.
Chitwood Bridge
Exhibits a cedar shake roof, flare sides painted barn red,
wooden deck. Due to damage in 1982, it was closed to crossing
for a 1983 restoration.
Coyote Creek Bridge
The Coyote Creek Bridge is often referred to as the Battle
Creek Bridge because it is located on Battle Creek Road. Some
still refer to it as Swing Long Bridge since it was called
this many years ago. Design elements in this bridge include
housed buttresses, ribbon openings under the eves, and
rectangular portals. Heavy snowfall severely damaged the
bridge in 1969 as the weight of several feet of snow collapsed
the roof. The rafters were sawed off and the bridge was left
uncovered until County crews could repair it in the spring.
Office Bridge
At 180 feet in length, the Office Covered Bridge is the
longest covered bridge in Oregon. It was constructed by the
Westfir Lumber Company using triple timber beams to provide
the strength required to carry heavy logging trucks. The
bridge connects the lumber mill with the office (hence the
name of the bridge). This bridge is one of only two covered
bridges in Oregon constructed with triple truss members.
Another distinctive feature of the bridge is a covered walkway
on the side of the bridge, separate from the roadway.
Fisher School Bridge
The Queenpost truss structure was rebuilt in 1989, featuring
Lincoln County covered bridge attributes; a cedar shake roof;
a wooden deck floor, and curved portal openings.
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