Skip to main content

Short Covered Bridge


For a state that has the most covered bridges of any state west of the Mississippi River, Oregon still has plenty of unique surprises to be found among its inventory of covered bridges. One of these covered bridges is the Short Covered Bridge, located just off of US Highway 20 just west of Cascadia State Park near the community of Foster in eastern Linn County. It's also one of a handful of covered bridges located along current or historic alignments of US 20, with the Chitwood Covered Bridge being another covered bridge located along US 20 in western Oregon.

Built in 1945, the Short Covered Bridge is the last remaining covered bridge that spans over the South Santiam River and is one of a few remaining covered bridges in Linn County to feature a roof made of wooden shingles. The Short Covered Bridge is far from short, spanning a total length of 173 feet across the South Santiam River. When the covered bridge was built, the bridge was known as the Whiskey Butte Bridge, but over time, it was renamed for a long time area resident by the name of Gordon Short. Visitors to the bridge may spot by ducks, deer and other animals hanging out around the bridge, and during the summer, fishermen on or under the bridge try to catch fish from the waters of the South Santiam River. On the early June after that I stopped by the bridge, I saw neither animals nor fish, just a parking lot along US 20 where I could park my car.

One thing that caught my eye as I was checking out the Short Covered Bridge was located on the other side of US 20. There was a fake ghost town built across the street called the Short Bridge Ghost Town. The fake ghost town is a bit of a roadside attraction that is as much of an art exhibit as it is a homage to the Old West of yore.

The Short Covered Bridge is found along Over the Rivers and Through the Woods Scenic Byway that crosses Linn County from Brownsville to the Cascades on OR Highway 228 and US 20, along with the historic corridor of the Santiam Wagon Road as well. This allows you to visit plenty of historic and scenic places in the area. The bridge is certainly worth the short stop to see.


Short Covered Bridge

South Santiam River
Short Bridge Ghost Town



How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Linn County Covered Bridge Tour - Travel Oregon
Short Covered Bridge - Bridgehunter.com
The Short Bridge - Covered Bridge Society of Oregon
Short Covered Bridge spans South Santiam near Cascadia State Park - The Oregonian

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

When did people begin to refer to the "Ridge Route" as "The Grapevine?" (former US Route 99 and Interstate 5)

The segment of US Route 99 from Los Angeles north to Bakersfield was traditionally known in State Highway documents as the "Ridge Route."  Even as the Ridge Route was transitioning from curvy mountain grade to the facility now occupied by Interstate 5nthe name largely persisted in California Highways & Public Works documents.  During modern times the name "Ridge Route" has be usurped in popular lexicon in favor to the nickname known as "The Grapevine."  This blog will attempt to decipher the origins of "The Grapevine" and how it came into popular use today.  Featured as the blog cover photo is a view of Interstate 5 in Grapevine Canyon and former US Route 99 at Deadman's Curve of the Ridge Route. This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page Note:

US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway

The communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway can all be found along US Route 101 within southern Humboldt County.  The former surface alignment of US Route 101 in Garberville and Redway once crossed the Garberville Bluffs along what is now Redwood Drive via a corridor constructed as part of the Redwood Highway during the 1910s.  US Route 101 through Benbow, Garberville and Redway was modernized by 1935.  US Route 101 would eventually be upgraded to freeway standards in Benbow, Garberville and Redway by extension of the Redwood Freeway during 1966-68.  As the cover photo the original grade of US Route 101 and the Redwood Highway can be seen at the Garberville Bluffs during 1934.  US Route 101 can be seen in the communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Humboldt County .   The history of US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway Benbow, Garberville and Redway lie on the banks of the South Fork Eel River of southern Humboldt County.  D

Old Stage Road in Tulare County and Kern County

Old Stage Road is an approximately 30-mile rural highway comprised of Tulare County Mountain Road 1, Kern County Mountain Road 447 and Tulare County Mountain Road 109.  Old Stage originates at Jack Ranch Road near Posey and ends at the outskirts of Porterville at Deer Creek.  Old Stage Road notably is comprised of two 19th Century stage routes.  From White Mountain Road northwest to Fountain Springs, Old Stage Road overlays Thomas Baker's 1860s era stage road to Linn Valley (now Glennville) and the Kern River Gold Rush Claims.  From Fountain Springs to Deer Creek, Old Stage Road is comprised of the 1853 Stockton-Los Angeles Road. Featured as the blog cover is the northward descent on Old Stage Road along Arrastre Creek to the town site of White River.  What became White River was settled along a spur of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road as "Dog Town" when gold was discovered nearby.  By 1856 the community had been renamed Tailholt.  A stage road from Tailholt to Linn Valley w