• Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge has one of the longest upper and lower truss chords
The Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge, also known as the Lake Creek Bridge, is a charming historic structure in Lane County near Greenleaf. Spanning Lake Creek and carrying Nelson Mountain Road over the waterway, this bridge is one of several covered bridges you can easily visit during your Oregon coast trip. Be sure to take a few pictures in front of the historic bridge with picturesque forested hills and a calm creek in the background.
The 105-foot (32 m) long bridge features narrow ribbon windows at the eaves and truncated rectangular portals. However, its most unique attributes are the upper and lower truss chords constructed using one-piece old-growth timbers. These timbers are among the longest in Oregon, showcasing a feat of engineering and craftsmanship.
Even today, transporting, preparing, and installing such massive pieces of wood would be challenging. Now, imagine the difficulty of achieving this with hand tools 100 years ago. This bridge stands as a testament to the ingenuity and skill of the builders of that era.
The Nelson Mountain Bridge is not only a functional structure still open to traffic but also a significant historical landmark, offering a glimpse into the past and the impressive capabilities of early 20th-century bridge construction.
Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge History
Originally built in 1928, the cost of the bridge was $3,155 ($57,850 in today's dollars). The single-piece chords measure 14" x 14" x 111 feet for the lower timbers and 12" x 12" x 79 feet for the upper chords.
In the late 1970s, the portal boards on both ends were replaced after high-load log trucks damaged them.
In 1984, the Nelson Mountain Bridge underwent significant renovations. Contractors replaced the wooden flooring with pre-cast concrete slab decking and added a new center pier. A crane was used to carefully slide the slabs into place since the concrete flooring and center pier do not support the trusses. Additionally, the wooden abutments and trestle approaches were replaced with reinforced concrete during this renovation.
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1979.
Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge | Facts
Architectural Bridge Design: Howe truss
Bridge access: Vehicle
Stream: Lake Creek
Bridge Length: 105 ft (32 m)
Built: 1928
Renovated: 1984
Open: Year-round
Elevation: 420 ft (128 m)
Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge is located:
- 32 miles northeast of Florence
- 43 miles west of Eugene
- 93 miles southwest of Salem.
Adventures Nearby
Directions to Nelson Mountain Covered Bridge
- Head southwest on OR-36 West toward Nelson Mountain Road for 0.8 miles
- Turn left onto Nelson Mountain Road.