Oregon: Covered Bridges Everywhere

One of Oregon's 400 covered bridges. Sylvia Behnish photos.
One of Oregon’s 400 covered bridges. Sylvia Behnish photos.

The Bridges of Oregon Counties

By Sylvia Behnish

The romance of covered bridges draws you with thoughts of those long-ago days when life was simpler and technology non-existent; when there were horsedrawn wagons, ladies in long flowing skirts and lovers stopping beneath their cover for a quick kiss or two, away from prying eyes and disproving looks.

Using only hand tools, sweat, and determination, these early pioneers began building covered bridges in the early 1850’s. Bridges were covered because they would last eighty years or more whereas an uncovered span would deteriorate in a few short years. Construction of these covered spans continued into the 1950’s when heavier loads and increased traffic necessitated their replacement with concrete and steel.

Oregon at one time had more than 400 covered bridges. Today only fifty or so remain. These wooden covered bridges gradually began to disappear either being replaced, dismantled, or falling into disrepair. Some were restored for historical preservation and became part of parks and trails.

Oregon has more covered bridges than any other state west of the Mississippi. They are part of the history of Oregon and tell a story about the ruggedness of the old pioneer spirit.

The following is a list of covered bridges easily accessible for those who feel the draw of romance and an interest in history.

Benton County:

  • Harris Covered Bridge has a 75 foot span and crosses the Mary’s River. The town is named after George Harris whose family settled in the area in 1890. Built in 1936, it replaced the original bridge.
  • Hayden Covered Bridge has a 91 foot span and is believed to be one of Oregon’s oldest covered bridges. It was originally built in 1918 and then rebuilt in 1945. It crosses the Alsea River.
  • Irish Bend Covered Bridge originally crossed a slough in the Willamette River. It was built in 1954 but was allowed to deteriorate until 1988. Money was raised and the bridge was moved and resurrected on Oregon State University’s Campus over Oak Creek.

Coos County:

  • Sandy Creek Covered Bridge has a sixty-foot span and was in service from 1921 – 1949 on state Route 42 between Roseburg and the Coast. In 1981 the Myrtle Point Syns Club adopted the bridge and made the surrounding site into a park.
A classy looking white bridge in Oregon.
A classy looking white bridge in Oregon.

Deschutes County:

  • Rock O’ the Range Covered Bridge has a 42-foot span. It is east of the Cascade Mountains.

Douglas County:

  • Cavitt Creek Covered Bridge crosses Little River where it meets Cavitt Creek. It has a 70-foot span and was built in 1943.
  • Horse Creek Covered Bridge has a 105-foot span. It crosses Myrtle Creek at Millsite Park. It was constructed in 1930 then located on Horse Creek Road. It was later moved and given to City of Cottage Grove who passed the structure on to Myrtle Creek.
  • Milo Academy Covered Bridge crosses the Umpqua River. It has a 100-foot span. There has been a covered bridge at this site for as long as anyone can remember so its exact age is unknown.
  • Neal Lane Covered Bridge has a 42-foot span. It crosses Myrtle Creek and is considered a good one to see because of its picturesque surroundings of numerous Myrtlewood trees. It is particularly beautiful in the Fall when the leaves are in their full autumn glory.
  • Pass Creek Covered Bridge was built in 1925. It stopped carrying vehicular traffic in 1981 and in 1989 the city of Drain rebuilt the structure as an attraction for their park. It is now open to pedestrian traffic only.
  • Roaring Creek Covered Bridge has an 83-foot span and was built in 1927.
  • Rochester Covered Bridge has an 80-foot span. It was built in 1933.

Jackson County:

  • Antelope Creek Covered Bridge has a 58-foot span. It was originally built in 1922 ten miles south of Eagle Point. In 1987 after talk of tearing it down, the town carefully moved it to where it now sits crossing Little Butte Creek. It is now used as a pedestrian-only crossing.
  • Lost Creek Covered Bridge has a 39-foot span and is the shortest covered bridge in Oregon. Some say it was built in 1919 but maybe older so could also possibly be the oldest bridge in Oregon as well. It is surrounded by Walch Memorial Park.
  • McKee Covered Bridge has a 122-foot span and crosses the Applegate River. A beautiful park is adjacent to the bridge. It was built in 1917 with vehicular traffic using it until 1956.
  • Wimer Covered Bridge has an 85-foot span crossing Evans Creek. It was originally built in 1892.

Josephine County:

  • Grave Creek Covered Bridge has a 105-foot span. It was built in 1920 and crosses Graves Creek. The creek was named for a young girl, Martha Leland Crowley, who died at this crossing in 1846 while she and her family were trying to find a southern route into Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The bridge was restored in 2001.

Lane County:

Red barn bridge in Oregon.
Red barn bridge in Oregon.

Lane County in Oregon is home to twenty covered bridges dating back to 1920. Fourteen are still open to traffic. Some of them are:

  • Belknap Covered Bridge has a 120-foot span. Built in 1966, it is one of Oregon’s newer covered bridges.
  • Chamber Railroad Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered railway bridge in Oregon. This 78-foot span built in 1936 was named after the Frank Chambers Sawmill which burned in 1943.
  • Coyote Creek Covered Bridge crosses Coyote Creek. It is a sixty-foot span built in 1922. It is sometimes called the Battle Creek Bridge by the locals after the name of the road it is on. Many years ago it was also called the Swing Log Bridge.
  • Currin Covered Bridge is the only bridge in the state of Oregon to be painted in two colors – red and white. Built in 1925, it replaced the original 105-foot span across the Coast Fork of the Willamette River that had been built in 1883. It is now only accessible by foot.
  • Mosley Covered Bridge, named for David Mosley, an 1853 Oregon Trail pioneer. It is Lane County’s oldest covered bridge. Built in 1922, it has a ninety-foot span.
  • Deadwood Covered Bridge was built by Miller Sorenson in 1932 to cross Deadwood Creek. It was used until the 1970’s when it was bypassed by the highway. In the 1980’s, it was repaired and rededicated for highway used. A one hundred and five-foot span, it is surrounded by trees on a quiet gravel road. It reminds those who see it of the romance of these bridges and is well worth your trip to view.
  • Goodpasture Covered Bridge was named after a local pioneer family. With a 165 foot span, it is one of Oregon’s longest covered bridges. Built in 1938, and with the exception of closing it for a short time in the 1980’s, the bridge continues to be open for traffic.
  • Office Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge with a span of 180 feet. Besides being the longest, it is the only covered bridge in Oregon that has the unusual feature of having an attached covered walkway. Built in 1944, it crosses the Willamette River at Westfir.
  • Pengra Covered Bridge crosses Fall Creek was built in 1938 and has a 120-foot span. It was named after B. J. Pengra, an Oregon Trail pioneer from 1853. Although the bridge was bypassed because of its need for repairs, it is a beautiful spot to visit, especially in the autumn months when the trees shimmer with their fall foliage.
  • Wildcat Creek Covered Bridge. Romance is at its best at this spot. The bridge crosses where the Wildcat Creek and Siuslaw River meet. Built in 1925, it has a 75-foot span.

Some of the other counties with covered bridges are:

  • Lincoln County which has three covered bridges – the Chitwood, the Fisher and Northfork of the Yachats.
  • Linn County where there are nine – the Bohemian Hall, the Crawfordsville, Gilkey, Hannah, Hoffman, the Larwood and Short which are well worth the trip, and the Shimanel, and Weddle.
  • Marion County with three – the Gallon House, a must see, the Jordan, recently restored and the Overfield, Oregon’s newest covered bridge built in 2000 as a pedestrian crossing over Silver Creek in Silverton.
  • In Multnomah County, there is the Cedar Crossing Bridge.
  • And in Polk County, there is Fourtner and Ritner Creek Covered Bridges.

Sylvia Behnish

Sylvia Behnish lives in British Columbia is the author of three books as well as numerous articles in newspapers, magazines and online on the subjects of travel, family issues, motivational topics, and brain injuries. For more information, check out her blog at TheCreativenessWithinMe

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