There’s something rewarding about a visit to a covered bridge — the cool interior, often with a damp feel from water flowing below; the picturesque exterior that seems to fit just right with Oregon’s natural beauty; and beautiful wooden craftsmanship that serves as a connection to the region’s past.
Using Google Maps with Philomath City Hall as a starting point, the following list features the five closest covered bridges. The first four were obvious but a lot of searching had to be done to determine the bridge in that No. 5 spot. A few covered bridges in the Scio vicinity just missed the cut.
Here then are the five covered bridges closest to Philomath:
1. Irish Bend Covered Bridge, Corvallis: 5.6 miles
Located near Oregon State University’s Dairy Farm, the Irish Bend Covered Bridge was built in 1954 and crossed a slough in the vicinity of the Willamette River and Long Tom River on Irish Bend Road near Monroe. In 1988, the bridge was dismantled with plans to build a more modern bridge on the road. A year later, many of the original parts were reassembled on new donated piers at the OSU site. The bridge is part of a pedestrian and bike path over Oak Creek. To visit, park at the Benton County Fairgrounds and walk or bike east on the Midge Cramer Path — it’s about seven-tenths of a mile.
2. Harris Covered Bridge, Wren: 7.6 miles
The Harris Covered Bridge was apparently constructed in 1936, although some sources believe it came along as early as 1929 — and yes, a sign on the bridge lists that year. Either way, it provides a way across the Marys River in a remote area 2 to 3 miles west of Wren. It was named for an early settler, George Harris. The bridge’s construction features narrow windows below the roofline to help light up the interior. Seventy-five feet in length, it was built by H.W. Fiedler. It’s located right next to the Harris Bridge Vineyard.
3. Ritner Creek Covered Bridge, Pedee: 15.2 miles
The Ritner Creek Bridge was built in 1927 on Kings Valley Highway about 3.5 miles south of Pedee near the Benton-Polk county line (between 2 and 3 miles north of Kings Valley Charter School). The bridge’s existence was threatened in the mid-1970s with plans to build a new concrete bridge over the creek as part of road improvements. A campaign to save the bridge from demolition materialized and in 1976, it was relocated just off the main highway in an area that now features a small park. The bridge, which is 75 feet in length, was redesigned in the early 1960s to accommodate larger loads. The bridge went through a restoration project in 2008.
4. Hayden Covered Bridge, Alsea: 19.5 miles
One of the oldest bridges in Oregon, the Hayden Covered Bridge was originally built in 1918 over the Alsea River about 2 miles west of Alsea. The bridge was rebuilt in 1945 to a more modern design to accommodate larger loads. One of its features is a window strip below the roofline on both sides to bring daylight into the interior. The bridge is 91 feet in length. To find this bridge, take Highway 34, go through Alsea and continue west for about 2 miles before taking a left on Hayden Road.
5. Yaquina River Chitwood Bridge, Chitwood: 30.6 miles
This fifth bridge that we mention can be seen from Highway 20 between Philomath and Newport near milepost 17 at Chitwood. At a length of 96 feet, the bridge was built in 1926 and spans the Yaquina River. Lincoln County announced in 1982 that the bridge would either need to be replaced or repaired. After a public hearing on the bridge’s future, it was decided to completely rehabilitate it. The work was completed in late 1983 and dedication ceremonies followed in 1986. The bridge features old Chitwood signs that were salvaged from an old railroad depot.
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
