Wilson River Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wilson River Bridge No. 01499
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Bridge in 1990
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| Nearest city |  US 101 – Tillamook |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Conde B. McCullough; Clackamas Construction Co. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Art Deco |
| MPS | McCullough, C.B., Major Oregon Coast Highway Bridges MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000825 |
| Added to NRHP | August 5, 2005 |
The Wilson River Bridge is a special bridge near Tillamook, Oregon, United States. It is also known as Wilson River Bridge at Tillamook or Wilson River Bridge No. 01499. This bridge was built in 1931. It was designed by a famous engineer named Conde McCullough. The bridge has a unique look, combining Classical Revival and Art Deco styles. It stretches 180 feet across the Wilson River. This important bridge carries U.S. Route 101, a major coastal highway.
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Discover the Wilson River Bridge
The Wilson River Bridge is more than just a way to cross a river. It's a piece of history and a great example of bridge building. It helps thousands of cars travel along the beautiful Oregon coast every day.
A Special Bridge Design
This bridge is very important because it was the first reinforced-concrete tied-arch bridge built in the Pacific Northwest. This region includes states like Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. A tied-arch bridge uses a special design where the arch pushes outwards, but a "tie" connects the ends of the arch. This tie keeps the arch from spreading apart.
Who Designed This Amazing Bridge?
The person who designed the Wilson River Bridge was Conde McCullough. He was a very talented engineer. Before working on this bridge, he worked for a company called Marsh Engineering. The founder, James B. Marsh, created a special "rainbow arch" bridge design in 1912. These bridges were built all over Kansas and Iowa.
McCullough was likely inspired by Marsh's designs. However, McCullough made his own changes. He used strong metal bars inside the concrete instead of steel plates. This made his bridges even stronger. After the Wilson River Bridge, he designed similar bridges nearby. These include the Ten Mile Creek Bridge and the Big Creek Bridge.
Why Is This Bridge Important?
The Wilson River Bridge is a landmark because it was the first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. It showed new ways to build strong and beautiful bridges using concrete. Because of its unique design and history, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it is recognized as a special historical site that should be protected.
