New Bridge, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Bridge, Oregon
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 New Bridge, Oregon
Location in Oregon
New Bridge, Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Elevation | 2,369 ft (722 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1146799 |
New Bridge (sometimes called Newbridge) is a small, quiet place in Baker County, Oregon. It's not a city with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community.
New Bridge is located about three miles north of a town called Richland. It's also near Oregon Route 86. This community sits at an elevation of about 2,369 feet (722 meters) above sea level.
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A Look Back: New Bridge's History
New Bridge has an interesting past. It was founded a long time ago, during what people call "pioneer times." This was when early settlers were moving west and building new communities.
Early Days and the Post Office
The community started on the banks of Eagle Creek. It was named after an important bridge built over the stream. This bridge helped people travel and move goods.
In 1878, a post office opened in New Bridge. A person named Joseph Gale was the very first postmaster. A postmaster is in charge of the post office. This post office served the community for many years, finally closing in 1967.
Growing and Changing Boundaries
When New Bridge first started, it was part of Union County. But in 1901, the county lines were changed. New Bridge then became part of Baker County. This change helped make the county shapes more organized.
In 1908, the town was officially "platted." This means a map was made showing all the streets and property lots. However, by this time, the community was already starting to shrink.
What Made New Bridge Special?
New Bridge played an important role in the Eagle Valley. Farmers there grew many crops. New Bridge helped sell these farm products to miners working near Sparta.
The community had several businesses that supported farming. There was a cannery that processed fruits and vegetables. There was also a box factory that made containers. A packing shed was used for preparing apples to be shipped.
Why Did New Bridge Decline?
New Bridge began to decline for a few reasons. One big reason was that a nearby town, Richland, was platted in 1897. Richland was newer and grew quickly. This meant that many people and businesses moved there instead of New Bridge.
Over time, New Bridge became a smaller community. Even though it's not a bustling town today, its history shows how important it once was to the region.
