Covered Bridges

Covered Bridges of Oregon

What is a "World Guide Number?"

Local naming of covered bridges can prove to be inconsistent, and many bridges have more than one name.

Each bridge in this section has a unique identification called a World Guide Number. This system of identifying covered bridges on a national scale was developed in the 1950s and has been adopted by the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges.

The assigned World Guide Number for each bridge is the combination of a state, county and bridge identifier.

Oregon, being the 37th state alphabetically, dictates the first two digits of the identifier.

The counties are also assigned numbers in alphabetical order. All bridges in Benton County, for example, contain the number 37-02- because Benton County is the second county in the state alphabetically.

The third set of numbers are assigned to the actual bridge location, although the name of the bridge or stream is not a factor in the assignment. Many bridges have been destroyed since the adoption of the World Guide Number. Since the number is not reused or reassigned, some numbers are missing.

Combinations of numbers and letters denote a bridge which does not use a true truss for support but is covered nonetheless.

Earnest Covered Bridge
Earnest Bridge over the Mohawk River in Lane County is World Guide No. 37-20-35

Information included in this section was provided by Bill Cockrell, who with his brother Nick authored "Roofs Over Rivers" and is presented here in cooperation with the Covered Bridge Society of Oregon.

Abiqua Creek (Gallon House) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Salem travel north on Highway 213 (Silverton Road NE) about 14 miles to Silverton. At Silverton travel north on Highway 214 to Hobart Road. Turn west on Hobart to Gallon House Road (0.5 mi.). Turn north on Gallon House Road.

Background:
The Gallon House Bridge, the last of Marion County's original covered bridges, is located over Abiqua Creek a little more than a mile northwest of Silverton.

Alsea River (Hayden) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Corvallis take Highway 34 southwest approximately 24 miles to Alsea and continue west 2 miles to Hayden Road. Turn left on Hayden Road and continue for several hundred yards to the bridge.

Background:
Spanning the Alsea River only two miles west of Alsea, the Hayden Bridge is one of the oldest in the state.

The span was either partially or totally rebuilt in 1945. Its portals, once rounded in design, have been enlarged to a more modern design to facilitate larger loads.

Ames Creek (Weddle) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Interstate 5 at Albany exit US Route 20 (exit 233) southeast through Lebanon to Sweet Home. From Highway 20 turn south at 12th Avenue. Turn east on Kalmia Street and then south on 14th Avenue for two blocks. Sankey Park is on the left. Alternately, exit Interstate 5 at exit 216 and travel east through Crawfordsville to Sweet Home

Applegate River (McKee) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Medford travel west on Highway 238 through Jacksonville to Ruch. From Ruch head south on Applegate Road for approximately 8.5 miles.

Background:
The rustic, well-known covered bridge spanning the Applegate River, just eight miles from the California border, was built in 1917 by contractor Jason Hartman and his son Wesley on land donated by Aldelbert "Deb" McKee.

The bridge was used from 1917 to 1956, originally serving the mining and logging traffic. In 1956, the bridge was declared unsafe for vehicular traffic.

Calapooia River (Crawfordsville) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Interstate 5 take Highway 228 (exit 216) east through Brownsville to Crawfordsville. Crawfordsville Bridge is located at the west end of Crawfordsville, beside Highway 228.

Background:
The area of Crawfordsville was named for Philemon Crawford, who settled in the area and on whose land the town was established in the 1870s.

The Crawfordsville Bridge displays another version of Linn County’s open truss style. The roofed span, built in 1932, shows a narrow slit window on both sides of the structure.

Calapooya Creek (Rochester) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Sutherlin travel west on Highway 138 approximately two miles to Sterns Lane. Turn north on Sterns Lane to Rochester Road. The bridge is just north of the intersection of Sterns Lane and Rochester Road.

Background:
The Rochester Covered Bridge, with its droopy-eyed appearance, sits just three miles northwest of Sutherlin among the farms surrounding the Calapooya River.

The design of this bridge is unique among Oregon roofed structures, featuring windows having graceful curved tops.

Coast Fork Willamette River (Chambers Railroad) Covered Bridge

Location:
Exit I-5 at Cottage Grove. Travel south on Highway 99 to Harrison Avenue. Turn west on Harrison to Old River Road. Turn south on Old River Road. Chambers RR is off of Old River Road just south of Harrison.

Background:
The Chambers Bridge is the last covered railroad bridge in Oregon. It was built by the Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railroad for a logging spur which brought logs to the Frank Chambers Mill in Cottage Grove.

Coyote Creek (Battle Creek) Covered Bridge

Location:
From Eugene travel six miles west on Highway 126 to Crow Road. Take Crow Road southwest to its intersection with Territorial Highway. Turn left (south) on Territorial Highway for one mile to Battle Creek Road. Turn right (west) on Battle Creek Road for approximately 100 yards.

Background:
The Coyote Creek Bridge was originally part of Territorial Road (1851) and was included in the state secondary road system. The bridge was bypassed when truck traffic became too heavy and a more direct highway route was constructed.

Crabtree Creek (Hoffman) Covered Bridge

Location:
From I-5 at Albany take Highway 226 (US Route 20) (exit 233) east to Crabtree Drive. Exit the highway and travel to the town of Crabtree. From Crabtree travel north on Hungry Hill Drive for approximately 1 mile.

Background:
This covered bridge spans Crabtree Creek one mile northeast of the town of Crabtree. Both the town and the creek were named for John Crabtree, who settled in the area in 1845.

Gothic style windows grace this structure, instead of the usual open Linn County truss design.

Crabtree Creek (Larwood) Covered Bridge

Location:
From I-5 at Albany take Highway 226 (US Route 20) (exit 233) east to Crabtree. From Crabtree travel east on Highway 226 approximately 1 mile to Fish Hatchery Drive. Travel east on Fish Hatchery Road for approximately 6 miles.

Background:
The attractive Larwood Bridge was built to Highway Commission specifications which included a standard 105-foot length, partially exposed trusses, white-wash interior and rounded portals.

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