There's something inherently charming about a historic covered bridge that captures the imagination and makes us a bit nostalgic. Cottage Grove, Oregon is a place that's known for these winsome works of architecture, boasting no fewer than six covered bridges within its lines. Known as the Covered Bridge Capital of the West, it should come as no surprise that Cottage Grove is also home to an old railroad trestle -- the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi, in fact. Built in 1925 and then ultimately abandoned following a fire, the Chambers Railroad Covered Bridge fell into disrepair, left to ruin by both nature and graffiti. What happened to this bridge to nowhere in Cottage Grove, Oregon? Well, you'll have to read on to find out...
The Chambers Railroad Bridge is the only remaining covered railroad bridge in Oregon -- and west of the Mississippi, in fact.
An example of the Howe Truss design, it was constructed in 1925 by lumberman J.H. Chambers to transport logs across the Coast Fork Willamette River to his sawmill on the east side of the bridge.
The bridge was in operation from 1925 to 1951. But in the 1950s, the railroad was sold and its materials peddled for scrap. With the bridge no longer in use, it began to decay, the surrounding forest and creek slowly swallowing it up.
By 2006, the bridge had experienced significant structural damage and had begun to lean to the upriver side. This former star was now a bona fide bridge to nowhere, and local historians and officials worried that if things continued at this rate, the historic bridge would forever be ruined.
The City of Cottage Grove, a place acclaimed for its glorious covered bridges, didn't want this to happen. So they rallied.
The Chambers Covered Railroad Bridge was awarded a $1,315,370 grant from the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program, to which the city partially matched. Additional funds were awarded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Oregon Surface Transportation Program.
The bridge was dismantled, rebuilt, and restored on-site; and in November 2011, it reopened, as beguiling than ever.
Original material was reused when feasible and the rebuilding was done as historically accurate as possible.
Land on both ends of the bridge was secured for a small park and the bridge re-purposed as a pedestrian and bicycle footbridge. Interpretive panels were installed along with iron artwork depicting the steam engines that once passed through.
Today, this former bridge to nowhere in the middle of Cottage Grove, Oregon, is a beautiful tribute to the past, a historical triumph, and a proud testament to the power of hard work and imagination.
What a happy ending for this beautiful piece of Oregon history! Did you know that Oregon was home to the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi? Have you visited the Chambers Railroad Covered Bridge before? If so, we'd love to hear about your experience! And if you know of another "bridge to nowhere" in Oregon, share it with us so we can feature it in an upcoming article!
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