Covered Bridges in Oregon are a sight to see! Oregon has the largest collection of covered bridges in the West and one of the largest in the nation.
The covered bridge building tradition in Oregon dates back to the 1850's. Out of necessity, pioneers built with the materials at hand. Douglas fir was abundant in western Oregon and well-suited for bridge construction. To increase their useful life, houses were constructed over the timber trusses to protect them from the damp western Oregon climate.
The heyday of covered bridge building in Oregon occurred between 1905 and 1925 when there were an estimated 450 covered bridges in the state. By 1977, this number had dwindled to 56. The picture (above) is the Grave Creek Bridge in Sunny Valley (Southern Oregon), which is located approximately 14 miles north of Grants Pass, Oregon.
