Office Bridge Explained
The Office Bridge (also called Westfir Covered Bridge[1]) is a covered bridge in Westfir, Lane County, Oregon, U.S. crossing the North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River at the south end of the Aufderheide National Scenic Byway[2] and edge of the Willamette National Forest. It is Oregon's longest covered bridge at 180 ft (55 m), and is one of only two in the state using triple Howe truss construction. It is the only covered bridge west of the Mississippi River which has a separate pedestrian walkway.[3] [4] [5]
The bridge is a replacement for a 1941 bridge which washed away.[6] It was built in 1944 by the Westfir Lumber Company[7] to carry logging trucks and lumber trucks to the company's lumber mill and mill pond. The company headquarters and offices were located across the river beside National Forest Development Road 19, in what is now a bed and breakfast. The bed and breakfast retains the company's walk-in safe.[8] [9]
The company-owned town of Westfir, the mill, and the bridge were sold to an investment firm in 1977. The lumber mill burned to the ground in the early 1980s. In 1992 the bridge ownership changed to Lane County due to property tax foreclosure. Extensive structural work in 1993 stabilized the bridge.[10] [11] In 2002, the roof was replaced.[8] [12]
Formerly, the bridge was closed to public access. In about 2003, a small park was established on the north side of the bridge. The park also serves as a trailhead to North Fork Trail #3666, which follows the Wild and Scenic section of the North Fork river. The Wild and Scenic designation ends a few hundred feet upriver from the bridge.[13]
Each Christmas season, the town decorates the bridge with lights. A firetruck driven by Santa Claus turns the lights on the first week after Thanksgiving.[14]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: West Cascades Scenic Byway—Westfir Covered Bridge, Oregon . Byways.org . 2007-11-11.
- also known as the West Cascades National Scenic Byway
- Web site: Historic Bridge Provides Name for Westfir Fire . US Forest Service . September 3, 2002 . 2007-11-11.
- Web site: Office Bridge—Westfir, Oregon . Travel Oregon . 2007-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071021025522/http://www.traveloregon.com/Explore-Oregon/Willamette-Valley/Attractions/Covered-Bridges/Office-Bridge.aspx . 2007-10-21 . dead.
- Web site: Office Bridge Commemorative Coin Set for Release . Amber Fossen . Lane County, Oregon Public Information Office . November 14, 2006 . 2007-11-11.
- Web site: Office Bridge Limited Edition Print . Lane County, Oregon . 2007-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727013759/http://ecomm.lanecounty.org/Store/Item.aspx?Item=19 . 2011-07-27 . dead.
- later purchased by the Edward Hines Lumber Company
- Web site: North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River (Office) Covered Bridge . Oregon.com, Oregon Interactive Corporation . 2007-11-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071024121444/http://www.oregon.com/covered_bridges/bridges/office.cfm . October 24, 2007 .
- Web site: Area Attractions . Oakridge, Oregon chamber of commerce . 2007-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070702161232/http://www.oakridgechamber.com/attractions.asp . 2007-07-02 . dead .
- Web site: Office Covered Bridge—Lane County, Oregon . OBEC Consulting Engineers . 2007-11-11.
- Web site: Projects: Bridges . 2G Construction . 2007-11-11.
- Web site: Hikers and Bikers guide to the Center of Oregon's Recreation . 15 . Oakridge Chamber of Commerce . 2007-11-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207082530/http://www.oakridgechamber.com/documents/Bhiker%20Guide%20Final.pdf . February 7, 2012 .
- Web site: Westfir, Oregon . OregonCities.us . 2007-11-11.
- News: Over the River And Through the Bridge . https://archive.today/20130130063924/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE1D91231F930A15750C0A9659C8B63 . dead . 2013-01-30 . Susan G. Hauser . . 2007-11-11 . 2003-03-23 .
