Built in: 1933
Bridge Length: 80'
County: Douglas
Photo by Pat Cook
The Rochester
Covered Bridge, with its droopy-eyed appearance,
sits just three miles northwest of Sutherlin
among the farms surrounding the Calapooya River.
The
Howe Truss design of this bridge is unique
among Oregon roofed structures, featuring
windows having graceful curved tops.
Built by veteran builder Floyd Frear, the bridge
combines both beauty and strength offered by the
wooden structure.
In the late 1950s, a
nearby covered span was torched and destroyed by
a county crew to make way for a new concrete
bridge. Rumors had spread that the Rochester
bridge would meet the same fate.
Many
local residents, fearful that those same county
workers who favored progress would wait until
nightfall to burn the Rochester Bridge, sat
through the night with guns and rifles to
safeguard the dilapidated structure. With the
arrival of daylight, the bridge was safe.
County commissioners then promised the
residents the bridge would not be burned. The
Rochester Bridge was remodeled in 1969 when
county crews worked to replace portal boarding,
the approaches and the abutments.
Location
World Guide# 37-10-04
Latitude:
N43 24.11
Longitude: W123 21.78
Driving Directions
From
Sutherlin travel west on Highway 138
approximately two miles to Sterns Lane. Turn
north on Sterns Lane to Rochester Road. The
bridge is just north of the intersection of
Sterns Lane and Rochester Road.
Information provided by: Covered Bridge
Society Of Southern Oregon..
Always Verify
Driving Instructions.
Add More Information!
We Can Add More Information to
this page, Click Here and supply
your text info and we will add it in!
SouthernOregon.com
does Not provide Directions and Info by phone.
BACK TO COVERED BRIDGES
This
is a general information page. All profile information on is
provided to users on an "as is" and "as available" basis without
warranty of any kind either express or implied. See terms
page if needed.
