Grave Creek

Thursday, November 29, 2007


Another shot from our Thanksgiving drive home. Heres a little background:

The Grave Creek covered span at Sunny Valley, about 15 miles north of Grants Pass, can be seen by motorists traveling Interstate 5.

Features of the wooden structure include six gothic style windows on either side, concrete abutments, a Howe truss, rounded portals and a shake roof.

The old wooden river crossing is the last covered bridge on the northsouth Pacific Highway system. Existing records on the Grave Creek Bridge show a contract awarded by the Oregon State Highway Department to J. Elmer Nelson in April 1920.

Just four months later, traffic passed through its portals. The 105-foot Howe truss is supported by "dumb bell" concrete piers. Total cost of the construction, including the engineering fees, is listed at $21,128.

When Interstate 5 was built nearby, ownership and maintenance of the Sunny Valley Loop Road, which includes Grave Creek Bridge, passed to Josephine County. In the late 1990s, the bridge was closed to traffic and was reopened in 2001 after repairs to the approaches and housing.

11 comments:

Laurie said...

There aren't too many of these gems left. I'm glad that they are restoring and preserving some of them.

This is a beautiful view of this treasure.

photowannabe said...

There is something rather magical about covered bridges. I like the angle of the photo. The low perspective gives it good DOF.

Mrs. Me said...

Nice covered bridge but such an ominous title for the creek.

imac said...

Fantastic stuff Mr Mapper, would love to be there and see.

Monet's Garden now showing

imac said...

Dont forget to sign-up for my giveaway.

Kerri Farley said...

Lovely lovely Bridge! We have some covered bridges around here...I need to get out and photograph some!

Outhouse Capital of Canada said...

Could you post pics of the dumb-Bell bridge supports and the bridge truss, I would like to see that.

Outhouse Capital of Canada said...

I just posted a pic of Dead Horse Creek on one of my blogs
http://hopeprincetonhighway.blogspot.com/
you have a grave, I have a dead horse

Outhouse Capital of Canada said...

I just looked up Howe Truss. now I know and just posted a pic of one of those on my Hope Princeton blog.

We have quite a few of that type of bridge truss around here

imac said...

Hi,

Check out my Symmetrical Post

Mike said...

It looks like an interesting bridge and I'm glad to see that it still lives on.