• Milo Academy Covered Bridge is one of only two steel covered bridges in Oregon
• The wooden housing of the original bridge was used to cover the new metal structure
The Milo Academy Bridge was built near the small town of Milo in Southern Oregon and now carries Milo Drive over the picturesque South Umpqua River.
The bridge is privately owned while still accessible to the general public. The maintenance is handled by the Milo Adventist Academy, as the Milo Bridge provides access to the Academy's Boarding School.
Milo is a 100-foot (30 m) long, single-lane structure. It is one of Oregon's only two covered bridges supported by steel rather than timber trusses. Swalley Canal (Rock O' The Range) Bridge is the other one.
The Milo Bridge's steel truss framework is covered by vertical wooden siding and a metal-clad gabled roof. The structure also features four rectangular windows on each side.
History
In 1920, the first Douglas fir-covered bridge was built. It served the community for over four decades.
Extensive use of heavy farm vehicles necessitated strengthening the bridge. By 1962, Milo Adventist Academy had substituted the original wooden structure with metal. To preserve Milo's original look, the wooden housing from the first bridge was carefully installed over the new metal frame.
On November 29, 1979, Milo got its well-deserved place on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Milo Academy Covered Bridge | Facts
Architectural Bridge Design: Steel truss
Bridge access: Vehicle
Stream: South Umpqua River
Bridge Length: 100 ft (30 m)
Built: 1920
Replaced: 1962
Open: Year-round
Elevation: 921 ft (280 m)
Milo Academy Covered Bridge is located:
- 44 miles southeast of Roseburg
- 60 miles northeast of Grants Pass
- 115 miles south of Eugene.
Adventures Nearby
Directions to Milo Academy Covered Bridge
- Take Douglas Co Highway 1 for 17.1 miles
- Turn right onto Milo Drive.