Drift Creek Bridge facts for kids
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Drift Creek Bridge
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Original Drift Creek Bridge over Drift Creek near Lincoln City
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 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1914 (2000) |
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| Architectural style | Howe truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002106 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Listed | November 29, 1979 |
| Removed from NRHP | July 21, 1998 |
The Drift Creek Bridge is a special covered bridge located in Lincoln County, Oregon. It was first built in 1914. This bridge originally helped people cross Drift Creek on Drift Creek County Road. Drift Creek flows into Siletz Bay, which is part of the Pacific Ocean, south of Lincoln City.
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A Bridge with a Journey
This bridge has an interesting story! It was built in 1914 and was very important.
The Original Location
The Drift Creek Bridge was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the ocean. For a long time, it was part of the main road along the coast. This road connected places from north to south.
Over time, new and bigger bridges were built. These new bridges took most of the traffic. In the 1960s, a new concrete bridge was built. It went around the old Drift Creek Bridge.
After that, Lincoln County decided to keep the old bridge. They wanted to save it as a place for people to walk. It also became a reminder of the pioneers from the 1800s.
Moving the Bridge
By 1988, the bridge was in bad shape. Parts of the wood were rotting, and insects had damaged it. Because it was unsafe, county officials had to close it completely.
In 1997, the county took the bridge apart. They gave the wooden pieces to Laura and Kerry Sweitz. The Sweitz family owned land about 8 miles (13 km) north of where the bridge used to be.
In 2000, the Sweitz family rebuilt the bridge! They put it back together over Bear Creek. Bear Creek flows into the Salmon River near Rose Lodge. The family also made sure that people could always visit the bridge at its new spot.
What the Bridge Looked Like
The original Drift Creek Bridge was built using a special design called a Howe truss. This design uses both wood and metal to make the bridge strong.
The outside of the bridge had board-and-batten siding. This means it had wide boards with narrow strips (battens) covering the gaps. It also had cool arched openings where you entered. There were long, narrow windows along the roof's eaves.
Before it was taken apart, this bridge was the closest covered bridge to the Oregon Coast.
National Register of Historic Places
The Drift Creek Bridge was special enough to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This is a list of important places in the United States. It helps protect buildings, sites, and objects that are important to history. The bridge was removed from this list in 1998 after it was taken apart.
