Goodpasture Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goodpasture Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 44°8′53″N 122°35′15″W / 44.14806°N 122.58750°W |
| Carries | Goodpasture Road |
| Crosses | McKenzie River |
| Locale | Lane, Oregon, United States |
| Maintained by | Lane County Public Works Department |
| Load | 44 short tons (40 t) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | U.S. National Register of Historic Places |
| Total length | 237 ft (72 m) |
| Width | 17.7 ft (5.4 m) |
| Height | 13.3 ft (4.1 m) |
| History | |
| Designer | Oregon State Highway Department |
| Constructed by | Oregon State Highway Department |
| MPS | Oregon Covered Bridges |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002100 |
| Added to NRHP | November 29, 1979 |
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The Goodpasture Bridge is a famous covered bridge in Oregon, United States. It crosses the McKenzie River near the small town of Vida in Lane County. This bridge is special because it's one of the longest covered bridges in Oregon. It's also one of the most photographed bridges in the state! The Goodpasture Bridge is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Building the Goodpasture Bridge
Lane County in Oregon was one of the first places to build many covered bridges. Today, this county has more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi River. There are 17 bridges in total, and 14 of them are still used by cars and trucks. The Goodpasture Bridge is one of these historic bridges.
The Goodpasture Bridge was built in 1938. It cost about $13,154 to build. The bridge was named after Benjamin Franklin Goodpasture, who was a pioneer farmer. He had settled his farm close to where the bridge was built.
The bridge crosses the McKenzie River about two miles west of Vida. It is 165 feet (50 m) long, making it the second longest covered bridge in Oregon. Because of its unique beauty and its importance to Oregon's transportation history, the Goodpasture Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Keeping the Bridge Strong
Over time, lots of traffic made the bridge weaker. In 1987, officials in Lane County decided to fix the old covered bridge instead of building a new concrete one. They spent $750,000 to make the bridge strong again. This project fixed the bridge's structure and the road surface.
They also added a special turn lane for cars leaving Oregon Route 126 to get onto the bridge. A concrete wall was built along the McKenzie River to make the area more stable. Today, the Goodpasture Bridge can handle regular traffic, including heavy logging trucks.
In 2005, the Lane County Public Works Department started making special coins. These coins honor the county's covered bridges. The money from selling these coins helps pay for keeping the historic bridges in good shape. The first coin, made in 2005, honored the Goodpasture Bridge.
In 2010, Lane County received $2 million from a federal grant. This money was for more repairs to the bridge. It helped raise the bridge's weight limit from 15 short tons (14 t) to 40 short tons (36 t). This work started in 2012.
There was a rumor that the bridge was destroyed in the Holiday Farm wildfire in September 2020. However, this was later proven to be false. The bridge was safe!
How the Bridge is Built
The Goodpasture Bridge was designed by the Oregon State Highway Department. This department is now called the Oregon Department of Transportation. Lane County built the bridge. A.C. Striker was the county's bridge superintendent when it was built. The bridge was made so that local families and commercial logging trucks could cross the McKenzie River easily.
The Goodpasture Bridge is a classic example of a covered bridge. Its deck is 17.7 feet (5.4 m) wide. The space inside the bridge is 15.3 feet (4.7 m) tall. The bridge's base is made of concrete. Its wooden floor and shingled roof are still in great condition. The wooden walls, called weatherboard housing, protect the inside parts of the bridge from bad weather.
Most of Oregon's covered bridges, including the Goodpasture Bridge, use a special design called the Howe truss system. This system was created in 1840 by an architect named William Howe. The Howe truss system uses strong wooden beams. These beams are made even stronger with iron or steel rods. The trusses have central beams and crossed timbers. They also have adjustable vertical iron rods that help support the bridge's weight.
The Goodpasture Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in Oregon. It has beautiful details like false end beams and special arched entrances. It also has ten Gothic style windows on each side. These windows let light into the long covered bridge. This helps drivers see oncoming traffic. During the Christmas season, the bridge is decorated, which brings many visitors.
