Retirement Blog: More Covered Bridges

October 5, 2014

This part of Oregon has an abundance of Covered Bridges. We have visited seven within just a few miles of our RV park. The last one we discovered was less than two miles away.

Earnest Covered Bridge

Most of these bridges were constructed by the Lane Company during the 1920's. With good maintenance and attention to detail, they have stood the test of time.

Parvin Covered Bridge

The Howe truss method was used in the construction. With the Northwest's abundance of wood, this method was considered perfect..

Pengra Covered Bridge

The Howe method uses short run timbers, and a smaller number of steel rods, both of which can be easily replaced when necessary.

United Covered Bridge

This results in strength, and quick, easy construction. Also the initial cost, as well as replacement costs of the individual truss parts is less. Truss parts can be erected quickly and cheaply.

Some reconstruction was done on some of the bridges in recent years at a relatively low cost. All of the bridges shown here are still in use. It was a pleasure to drive across all of these bridges and imagine a different time.

In fact, it reminded me of a time when we could drive across Clarkston Covered Bridge near where I grew up in Alabama. Of course we had to challenge each other to see how fast we could drive across it......! Did you know your car could fly briefly when you came out of a dip and onto a bump in the sagging bridge?? ......Maybe that's why they closed it to traffic.....

There are forty more covered bridges around Oregon. We will keep looking for them. By the way, we still haven't seen the ones we are supposed to see on the covered bridge tour.....These are all different ones. We are still planning to take the tour......sometime.