Ritner Creek Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ritner Creek Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Invalid designation
Location	near junction of Kerber Road and Oregon Route 223, Pedee, Oregon, United States
Built	1927
Architect	Charles Otis Hamar, Hamar and Curry Contractors
NRHP reference No.	79002147
Added to NRHP	November 29, 1979

The Ritner Creek Bridge was a special covered bridge in Oregon. It was the very last one of its kind to be used on a state highway. This bridge helped people cross Ritner Creek on Oregon Route 223, a main road in Oregon. It was located between the towns of Pedee and Kings Valley.

About the Ritner Creek Bridge

The Ritner Creek Bridge was built in 1927. It was about 73-foot-long (22 m), which is like the length of two school buses. The bridge was named after Sebastian Ritner, an early settler who arrived in the area in 1845.

Building the Bridge

The bridge was constructed by Hamer and Curry Contractors. They followed plans from the Oregon State Highway Commission. Building the bridge cost about $6,964 back then.

When it was first built, the openings at each end of the bridge were rounded. But in the early 1960s, these openings were changed to a square shape. This was done so that larger trucks and vehicles could pass through easily.

Saving the Bridge

In 1974, engineers found that the Ritner Creek Bridge was no longer safe to use. They planned to take it down. However, local people loved the bridge and wanted to save it.

They started a petition to keep the bridge. This idea was then put to a vote in May 1974. The community voted to save the bridge!

So, in 1976, the bridge was carefully lifted from its original spot. It was then moved a short distance downstream and placed on new foundations. A new concrete bridge was built in its place to carry the highway traffic.

A Historic Landmark

The Ritner Creek Bridge was very important because it was the last covered bridge still used on a state highway in Oregon. Covered bridges were once very common. When this bridge was built, there were almost 450 covered bridges in Oregon. But by the mid-1970s, fewer than 60 were left.

Because of its history and importance, the Ritner Creek Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This list includes buildings, sites, and objects that are important in American history.