Neal Lane Covered Bridge - The Only King Post Truss Bridge in Oregon!

The Neal Lane Covered Bridge, also known as the South Myrtle Creek Bridge, sits near the city of Myrtle Creek in Douglas County, Oregon.

This charming historic structure is about 1 mile from Myrtle Creek Covered Bridge and spans South Myrtle Creek, carrying Neal Lane Road over it.

The bridge was built in 1939 for just $1,000 ($225,600 in today's dollars).

At 42 feet (13 m) long, it is one of the shortest covered bridges in the state. This is also the only covered bridge in Oregon with a king post truss design.

The structural system consists of a central vertical post (the "kingpost") that supports diagonal beams extending to the corners of the bridge. This is a rare design in covered bridges.

Neal Lane Bridge also features rustic elements like cross-wise plank flooring, arched portals, and narrow window openings along the sides. A metal roof protects the timber structure from the elements.

Neal Lane Bridge is open to traffic, but due to its age and design, it has a 5-ton weight limit.

Neal Lane Covered Bridge History

Some uncertainty surrounds the exact year the Neal Lane Covered Bridge was constructed. Most sources, including the Oregon Department of Transportation, cite 1939 as the build date.

County records show that Douglas County built the structure for $1,000 that same year when Floyd C. Frear served as the county engineer and Homer Gallop was the bridge foreman.

However, the 1939 date was challenged by an individual who claims to have worked on the bridge a decade earlier, in 1929. This earlier date is referenced in the book "Oregon's Covered Bridges," while the more commonly accepted 1939 date appears in "Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon."