Horse Creek Bridge (McKenzie Bridge, Oregon) facts for kids
|
Horse Creek Bridge
|
|
|
Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
|
|
.jpg)
Horse Creek Bridge over Horse Creek in Lane County. Photographed for the Historic American Engineering Record by James B. Norman and Murray Stone.
|
|
 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Built | 1930 |
|---|---|
| Architectural style | Howe truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002096 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Listed | November 29, 1979 |
| Removed from NRHP | 1987 |
The Horse Creek Bridge was a special kind of bridge called a covered bridge. It was built in 1930 in Oregon, near a place called McKenzie Bridge. This bridge was about 105 feet (32 m) long and helped people cross Horse Creek. Horse Creek flows into the McKenzie River.
What Was the Horse Creek Bridge?
The Horse Creek Bridge was a covered bridge. This means it had a roof and sides, like a tunnel. Covered bridges were built to protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain and snow. This helped them last much longer.
The bridge was built over Horse Creek, which is a small river or stream. A small river that flows into a larger one is called a tributary. So, Horse Creek is a tributary of the McKenzie River.
A Bridge with a New Life
In 1968, a new concrete bridge was built nearby. This meant the Horse Creek Bridge was no longer needed for cars. For many years, it was used only by people walking or biking.
In 1987, the old bridge was taken apart. But its story didn't end there! The wood from the bridge was given to two different cities.
Some of the wood went to Cottage Grove. They used it to build a smaller covered bridge in a park. The rest of the wood went to Myrtle Creek in 1990. They used it to build a new covered bridge over Myrtle Creek. This new bridge connects a parking area to a park in the city.
Special Features of the Bridge
The Horse Creek Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This is a list of important historical places in the United States. It was removed from the list after 1987 when it was taken down.
The bridge had a special design called a Howe truss. This is a way of arranging wooden beams to make the bridge very strong. It also had "ribbon openings" near the roof, which let in light. The ends of the bridge, called "portals," were shaped like rectangles with arches. There was even a small window on one side so drivers could see if another car was coming!
