Harris Bridge Vineyard

Tucked into a tiny valley, between the historic Harris Covered Bridge and a railroad track, just outside the town of Philomath is Harris Bridge Vineyard which specializes in dessert wines, sweet vermouth, and aperitifs. We've tasted at a lot of wineries throughout Oregon, especially in the Willamette and Umpqua Valleys. So when I first read about Harris Bridge …

Coyote Creek Covered Bridge

Built in 1922, the Coyote Creek Covered Bridge used to be part of Territorial Road, a major secondary road system that crisscrossed the valley in the mid- to late-1800s. The bridge was bypassed when a more direct highway route was established and trucks became too heavy. Now Coyote Creek Covered Bridge is tucked just off of Territorial …

Centennial Covered Bridge

"Grovers" are well acquainted with the Centennial Covered Bridge, a pedestrian bridge located on the western edge of our historic downtown. The bridge is a reminder of the many covered bridges which once dotted our landscape as well as a testament to Cottage Grove's efforts to embrace its history and historical structures. Given the popularity of the …

Mosby Creek Covered Bridge — Revitalized

If you've been out Mosby Creek Road these past several months or if you've recently done Cottage Grove's covered bridge tour then you know that the Mosby Creek Covered Bridge has spent the past six months covered in plastic and closed to traffic. The bridge is Lane County's oldest covered bridge -- built in 1920 …

Currin’s Bridge

With the Oregon Covered Bridge Festival happening in Cottage Grove this weekend, I thought it would be fun to explore the history of one of our local bridges, though admittedly, I don't know if it was ever covered. At the turn of the previous century, the Bohemia Mining District was booming and a railroad was …

Stayton-Jordan Covered Bridge

The Jordan Covered Bridge began life in 1937 straddling Thomas Creek east of Scio in Linn County. It looked like many covered bridges built at that time by Linn County, with its sides open to expose the trusses. This design feature increased light in the bridge, improved visibility for motorists, offered less wind resistance, and …

Lowell Covered Bridge and Interpretive Center

Several years ago, as we were coming home down Highway 58, we needed to stop a minute and stretch our legs. We pulled into the parking lot at the Lowell Covered Bridge expecting to just walk around and view the bridge. We were surprised to find a wonderful little wayside and Interpretive Center. Since then, …

Pass Creek Covered Bridge: Drain, Oregon

We drive through Drain on a fairly regular basis as we like to take this route to get to the coast. Sometimes a stop at Drain's Civic Center to walk through the Pass Creek Covered Bridge (also called the “Krewson Covered Bridge”) is just the ticket. I know from experience, though, that this covered bridge – painted brown …

The ones we lost: Local covered bridges that are no more

There used to be over 600 covered bridges in the state of Oregon, as of now, less than 10% are left; fortunately, six awesome examples are located in or around Cottage Grove. With the annual Oregon Covered Bridge Festival happening October 5 in Cottage Grove, I thought it would be nice to feature some of …

Currin Covered Bridge

Located just three miles east of Cottage Grove, the Currin Covered Bridge was constructed in 1925 by county employees. Used for just over 50 years, it was replaced in 1979 by a concrete span which runs beside it. Luckily for us, the Currin Covered Bridge was rehabilitated in 1995 and it is open to pedestrians. The …