What to do on the People’s Coast
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Deadwood Covered Bridge
The architectural elements of Deadwood Bridge are quite unique. Flooring was installed on a slant so that traffic rounding the corner onto the bridge would travel more safely. Other elements include false end beams, semi-elliptical portal arches with trim, and large openings along the west elevation. The cost to build the bridge totaled $4,814, and it became a part of the state's secondary road system.
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Drift Creek Covered Bridge
The oldest covered bridge in Oregon, built in 1914. The bridge has a Howe Truss and is 66 feet in length. After being destroyed by a flood it was rebuilt in 1933 by J.V. Curry of Toledo. By the time the bridge was doomed to demolition for safety reasons by the Lincoln County Commissioners in 1997, local, state and federal funds for renovation had virtually disappeared. Determined not to lose this piece of history, north Lincoln County residents Kerry and Laura Sweitz came forward and offered to move the bridge – board by board – to their Rose Lodge property eight miles away. There, the couple just happened to have a concrete span over Bear Creek whose dimensions exactly matched those of the covered. Bridge. It took four years, many major fundraisers, a host of volunteers, and several more events before Drift Creek covered bridge was completely reassembled and ready for re-dedication on July 14, 2001. The structure has become a popular place for reunions and weddings and even a little “hoedown” inside the bridge. The non-profit “Save the Covered Bridge” group established by Kerry and Laura Sweitz is still in existence today. HOW TO GET THERE: From Lincoln City, turn east onto Hwy 18. From the Williamette Valley, drive west on Hwy 18 towards the coast. At milepost 4.9, turn south onto Bear Creek Road. After approximately one mile you will see the bridge on the left-hand side. The bridge is on private property; visitors are asked to park along Bear Creek Road and walk the rest of the way to the bridge.
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Fisher School (Five Rivers) Covered Bridge
Built in 1919, this bridge has a Howe Truss and is 72 feet long. The last of Lincoln County's covered bridges to be restored, the Fisher bridge was formally rededicated on June 4, 2005. This time there were federal and state transportation funds available for the project, which came to about $700,000. Originally built for $2,500, the Fisher bridge is one of Oregon's coldest covered bridges and was placed on the National Historic Registry in 1976. It is speculated the bridge may have been destroyed and rebuilt in 1927 (thus the date posted on a sign above the portal), but records show 1919 as the original date. The bridge spans a fork of Five Rivers and is located next to the former Fisher Elementary School, which is why the bridge is known by both names. HOW TO GET THERE: From Waldport, drive east on Hwy 34. Turn south at milepost 20 onto Five Rivers Road. Drive 9.4 miles up Five Rivers Road to Crab Creek Road, where the bridge is located.
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Wildcat Creek Covered Bridge
The Wildcat Bridge is located on a small winding road a short distance from Highway 126. From the bridge site where Wildcat Creek flows into the Siuslaw River, Stagecoach Road hugs the hillside until it drops into the narrow plain at Swisshome. Stagecoach Road was the original road to the coast, but was bypassed after the Linslaw Tunnel and Mapleton Bridge were built in the 1930s. The nearby Austa boat ramp provides access to the river for fishermen on the Siuslaw River. The bridge was closed for repairs several times in the 1980s and in the autumn of 2000, when the structure was strengthened. HOW TO GET THERE: Travel 33 miles west of Eugene on Oregon Highway 126 to Whitaker Creek /Clay Creek Recreation Area turnoff. Exit the highway on the south side and follow the road back under the highway and railroad tracks (north) a short distance to the bridge.
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Yachats Covered Bridge
The Yachats Covered Bridge was built in 1938 over the North Fork of the Yachats River in south Lincoln County, and was also built by Otis Hamer. It was Hamer’s last bridge and is one of the shortest in Oregon, measuring 42 feet in length. The timber construction of this bridge is of Queenpost Truss style, and its flared sides result from the buttresses underneath the siding. The Yachats Bridge also features ribbon openings under the roofline to allow light to enter inside, at the center of the bridge. The bridge was rebuilt buy Two G’s Construction and rededicated on Dec. 16, 1989. The renovation included updated construction techniques, new concrete piers and footings, and zinc strips on the roof to prevent the growth of moss. Though open to vehicles, the Yachats Bridge is closed to large RVs and trucks. The weight limit is 15 tons. HOW TO GET THERE: from Yachats drive east seven miles on Yachats River Road. Turn left just beyond a cement bridge. Then drive for two miles up the north fork of the Yachats River and you will come to the bridge.
Brought to you by OCVA in association with Travel Oregon & Wildernet
