Rivers and streams abound in the Willamette Valley. When settlers began to move in, they built bridges with the wood supplied by the abundant nearby forest to get themselves, their wagons, and their livestock across the water. Due to steel shortages after WWI, many early 20th-century bridges were again built with local lumber.
With upwards of 40 inches of precipitation a year pounding down on them, the wooden structures would get waterlogged and rot within ten years, which is why 450 of Oregon’s bridges were built with solid roofs to shield them from the inclement weather. These roofs could extend the life of the bridges for up to 80 years. Roughly 54 such bridges are still intact, all in various degrees of repair. Set against a backdrop of golden fields, winding country roads, and rich riparian areas, the covered bridges in Willamette Valley seamlessly span the nostalgia of a bygone era.
Silverton Covered Bridge Tour
Silverton is host to Oregon’s oldest continually operating covered bridge. The Gallon House Bridge was built in 1916 and was named Gallon House because folks would drive from Silverton and cross the bridge toward Mount Angel to buy bootleg spirits from a “gallon house.” It was rehabilitated in 1990 and is the last surviving covered bridge in Marion County.
Stayton Covered Bridge Tour
While the Gallon House Bridge is the last of its kind unless you count the re-homed and rebuilt Stayton-Jordan Covered Bridge. Once residing in Lyons, the Jordan Bridge was dismantled and moved to Stayton, where, in 1988, it was reassembled as a walking bridge in the town’s Pioneer Park. In December 1994, the bridge burned down, but in 1998 an exact replica was built by the community. The bridge is now a favorite venue for weddings, photo shoots for various occasions, and picnics.
Scio Area Covered Bridge Tour
South of Salem, across the Santiam River, is a covered bridge loop of five bridges (or an extended tour of eight) nestled against the fall colors of various trees and foliage. As the oaks, walnut trees, cottonwood, maple, and other trees explode in colors from red to yellow, now is a perfect time to bike or drive the tour, which covers approximately 33 radial miles.
Hoffman Bridge was built primarily with hand tools in 1936. The upper timbers still show adze marks where workers shaped them. Hoffman Bridge spans 90 feet across Crabtree Creek and is the only covered bridge on this route with two adorning Gothic-style windows on each side. Like the town, the creek was named after the pioneer John J. Crabtree, who settled in the area in 1845 when there was not a road, bridge, or fence to be seen within 50 miles.
During the summer, the Gilkey Bridge area of Thomas Creek becomes a favorite swimming hole for people for miles around. With its rounded portal openings and open sides, this 1939 beauty crosses over Thomas Creek with a span of 120 feet and stands next to a rail bridge.
Shimanek Bridge is the only covered bridge painted red. Its red color, louvered windows, and rounded portal design are very similar to the original structure built in 1927. The covered bridges at this location have a history of being washed out or destroyed by storms, making the current structure the fifth covered bridge spanning this part of Thomas Creek since 1891. At 130 feet long, Shimanek Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Linn County.
Much like Gilkey Bridge, Hannah Bridge is a popular area for swimming and fishing. The 105-foot long, open-sided bridge was named for John J. Hannah, a pioneer in the region, in 1853. Hannah settled south of Thomas Creek and built the area’s first sawmill, which was water-powered by the flow of Bilyeu Creek.
At Larwood Covered Bridge, visitors can enjoy the picnic area, view the bridge, see the old water wheel still on the site, and use the restrooms. Roaring River empties into Crabtree Creek near this bridge, making it the only known river in the United States to flow into a creek. This is the final destination of the loop (unless there are plans to take the extended tour), and accounting for the serene park setting, Larwood Park would be an ideal location for a picnic or for capturing a tranquil country photo.
Add-ons for an extended covered bridge tour:
Crawfordsville Covered Bridge
Short Covered Bridge
Weddle Covered Bridge
An app for a tour featuring a different route can be downloaded here from the Albany Visitors Association. There is also a map here provided by the Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce.
There is an allure to covered bridges with the calming sound of the stream below echoing off the walls, the whimsical glint and dance of sunlight dappling through the crisscrossed slats, louvered windows, or wide open sides, or the reminiscence of hand-tooled construction. So, take a tour of these wonderful covered bridges and discover the charm of the bridges of Willamette Valley.
