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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/21 22:39 by F40PHR231.

Here's some background info on Westfir, the lumber mill and the bridge.

http://spcascades.railfan.net/westernLumberCo.html

Joel's website is an incredible collection of information about the area. I noticed it's getting buried in Google though. there's some photos on this page and some interesting links at the bottom. The description of the lumber mill and it's processing is very interesting. Oregon seems to be doing a great job on preserving it's early structures.

VERY nice Chris!    I need to do a "ground" visit to Westfir.   Arlen

So...a drone used? Great shot, my vote for IOTD.

Tor in Eugene

Nice. Crop  to the   train, river, and  mountains  and  put it on the timetable.  

The Office Covered Bridge was built across the North Fork of the Willamette in 1944.  The original bridge had washed out a couple years earlier.  During the war the government would not allow steel to be used for a replacement but they would allow timber.  It was built with a seperate pedestrian walkway so pedestrians would not mix it up with log trucks.  Arches  were at each end so high log loads would clear.

The mill was on one side of the river and the mill office was on the other.  The bridge connected the mill with the (guess what?) Office.

It is the longest covered bridge in Oregon. 

Lane County, Oregon (ie: Westfir) roads department has a seperate department for covered bridges only.  The Federal Government will provide some funds for maintenance of covered bridges that have vehicle traffic.  A covered bridge that no longer can carry vehicles (Lowell, Oregon) does not qualify. 

Downstream (to the bottom of the aerial photo) is a highway bridge across the river to a community that is sometimes called Hemlock.  A station on the SP called Middle Creek was established here in 1917 after the railroad was completed to Oakridge.  The name was changed to Hemlock when the railroad was completed over the hill in 1926. 

jb

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