Benson Bridge Is A Remarkable Bridge In Oregon That Everyone Should Visit At Least Once
More than two million people visit Multnomah Falls every year. In fact, it’s the most-visited natural recreation site in the entire Pacific Northwest, and it’s easy to see why. The 620-foot waterfall is not only Oregon’s tallest waterfall; it’s also its most spectacular.
While most folks ooh and awe over the waterfall, pretty much every photo of it includes an iconic, man-made feature: Benson Bridge. It rarely gets a mention, but it was an incredible feat of engineering, and we can’t imagine Multnomah Falls without it.
During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.
Benson wondered what such a bridge would cost, so Samuel Lancaster did some quick figures on the back of an envelope. Benson wrote out a check on the spot, and hired Lancaster to build it.
The photo above shows tourists from New York standing on the observation deck below the bridge in 1916.
The photo above shows tourists from New York standing on the observation deck below the bridge in 1916.
When the bridge was nearly completed, Simon Benson came by to have a look, and Ringer asked him if he could engrave his name in the concrete. Benson agreed, but when the bridge was done and Lancaster showed up, he was furious. He told Ringer to remove his name immediately. Robert Ringer was justifiably upset, so he covered up his name with some clay, which quickly wore away. The inscription is still visible on the bridge's deck.
Share your photos of Multnomah Falls and Benson Bridge with us in the comments! Multnomah Falls is managed by the USDA Forest Service, and you can learn more about it on the website here.
Address: Multnomah Falls, Oregon 97014, USA
