Skip to main content

Jacob Conser Bridge - Old US 99E / OR 164 in Jefferson, Oregon


Along old US 99E (modern day OR 164) as it crosses the Santiam River in Jefferson, Oregon is the Jacob Conser Bridge. Designed by famed bridge engineer Conde McCullough and built in 1933 by Arthur Jordan and the Clackamas Construction Company, the Jacob Conser Bridge is the third crossing at this location. The bridge is 801 feet long and 24 feet wide, with 200 foot long spans. There is a railroad bridge paralleling the Jacob Conser Bridge just to the south, and there was an earlier bridge just to the north of the modern day bridge. The cost to build the bridge was about $100,000. The money for construction came from the United States government, granted by the Public Works Administration under the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933.

The previous steel bridge over the Santiam River on the Pacific Highway was in rough shape. The old bridge was also damaged by two car accidents blamed on its width, a mere 16 feet. With trying to find a solution with the old bridge, Conde McCullough decided that rather than fixing the bridge, they would build a new bridge with more modern design elements. In 1932, they designed a concrete through-arch span as a replacement. The Clackamas Construction Company of Oregon City, Oregon was awarded the contract for construction, and in 1933 the new bridge was constructed.

You may be asking who was Jacob Conser and why is this bridge named for him. Conser was a native of Pennsylvania who emigrated to Oregon in 1848. Trained in millwork, Conser had built a millrace about two miles upstream from Jefferson, diverting river water to help build the town. Conser  established an important ferry crossing of the Santiam River. He was also involved in politics, as he served in the legislature for Linn and Marion Counties, and stood as Marion County commissioner from 1850 to 1853. He later became mayor of Jefferson, Oregon. Conser was also an incorporator of the Oregon Central Railroad Company in 1867 as well.

The Jacob Conser Bridge is an enduring symbol of his legacy and importance in the early development of this slice of the Pacific Northwest wonderland. Today, you can explore the bridge by foot or by car.

The arches of the Jacob Conser Bridge as the bridge crosses the Santiam River.

Semi-side profile of the bridge.

The Santiam River is running a little low in late summer. The Santiam River splits into two forks upstream as the water comes trickling down from the Cascades.

Bridge plaque honoring Jacob Conser.

View of the Jacob Conser Bridge and the Santiam River Bridge utilized by the Union Pacific Railroad.

The Jacob Conser Bridge has some graceful arches.

I was able to find remnants of the roadway leading to the old narrow bridge that the Jacob Conser Bridge replaced.

The old bridge must have crossed pretty closely to the modern day bridge.


How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
HistoricBridges.org - Jacob Conser Bridge
Bridgehunter - Jacob Conser Bridge
Oregon Encyclopedia - Jacob S. Conser (1818-1893)
Hasso Hering - Cross that bridge and remember a pioneer
Oregon Historic Photograph Collections - Jacob Conser House in Jefferson, Marion County, Oregon

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dillon Road

Dillon Road is a 34.2-mile highway located in northern Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California.  Dillon Road begins at Avenue 48 on the outskirts of Indio and ends to the west at California State Route 62 near San Gorgonio Pass.  Dillon Road was developed the 1930s as a construction road for the Colorado River Aqueduct.  Dillon Road serves as a northern bypass to much of the development of Coachella Valley.  Dillon Road is known for it's frequent dips and spectacular views of San Gorgonio Pass.   Part 1; the history of Dillon Road Dillon Road was constructed as a haul road for the Colorado River Aqueduct through Coachella Valley.  The Colorado River Aqueduct spans 242 miles from Parker Dam on the Colorado River west to Lake Mathews near Corona.  Construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct began during January 1933 near Thousand Palms and was made functional on January 7, 1939.  West of Berdoo Canyon Road the alignment of Dillon Road is largely concurrent with the Colorado

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road is an approximately 21-mile highway located in southeast Kern County.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road begins at Tehachapi Boulevard (former US Route 466) in Tehachapi and crosses the Tehachapi Mountains via the 4,820-foot-high Oak Creek Pass.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road enters Antelope Valley of the wider Mojave Desert and passes by the historic stage station of Willow Springs to a southern terminus at Rosamond Boulevard.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road has historic ties to the Havilah-Los Angeles Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road due to the once reliable presence of water at Willow Springs. Part 1; the history of Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road Oak Creek Pass and Willow Springs were known to the local tribes of the Tehachapi Mountains for generations.  The first documented European crossing of Oak Creek Pass was during 1776 as part of an expedition by Francisco Garces.  Oak Creek Pass is as used again by John C. Fremont during an 1844-1845 expedition to e

The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge

The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge is a derelict structure located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Placer County, California.  The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge can be found between the communities of Colfax and Iowa Hill.  The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge is a wire suspension structure which spans the North Fork American River.  The 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge was replaced by a modern span and converted to pedestrian use following floods during 1963.   Part 1; the history of the 1928 Iowa Hill Road Bridge During 1853 gold was discovered at what to become Iowa Hill.  The gold mining claims soon led to a small community known as Iowa City being established.   By 1854, Post Office Service began at the mines of Iowa City.  By 1856 gold production at Iowa City was estimated to be around $100,000.  Iowa City was burned in fires during 1857 and 1862 but the community was rebuilt with more modernized structures.   The location of Iowa City can be seen as "Iowa Hill" on the 1873 Bancroft