During our stay in Oregon we made a point to visit Cottage Grove. Reason was to see and photograph many of the covered bridges in the area. First we had to research why a bridge was covered, I realized neither Jim or myself knew. We lived in New England for 20 years, where covered bridges abound, kind of inexcusable.
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof and siding which, in most covered bridges, creates an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered wooden bridges have a lifespan of only 10 to 15 years because of the effects of rain and sun.
Bridges having covers for reasons other than protecting wood trusses, such as for protecting pedestrians and keeping horses from shying away from water, are also sometimes called covered bridges.
So don’t forget to visit Cottage Grove and see the bridges, they have six!
