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below its original location. Mr. Freeman hired a logging contractor, Solon
Chatfield, to return the bridge to its abutments. However, during the flood the bridge had been turned end for end and the west end of the bridge was placed on the east abutment and the east end on the west abutment as it has remained to the present time (Adams 1963:134) (Smith 3-29-64)
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In 1883, the failure of the
English Dam far upstream on the Middle Yuba River sent a mass of water flooding downstream. The high flood waters surged upstream in Oregon Creek, lifted the bridge from its abutments and carried it away. When the flood waters subsided, the bridge was found some 50 yards
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The covered bridge over Oregon Creek has been used continuously since its construction over a century ago. The actual construction date is in question, however. Thompson and West indicates that Tom
Freeman built a bridge across Oregon Creek in 1858 and in 1871 built another a little above the first
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Tom
Freeman, who built the bridge, operated it and another bridge across the Middle Yuba River nearby, as toll bridges, apparently until his death, in 1892. Subsequently, Yuba County acquired the bridge and still operates it. The date of acquisition is unverified, but is thought to be about 1910.
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Prior to this, the bridge was officially closed to all traffic but pedestrians can and do access it. The
National Bridge Inventory lists it as "structurally deficient." There is extensive graffiti inside. The roof is now covered with corrugated metal sheeting and the deck is supported by metal
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The hand hewn wooden
Ponderosa Pine beams are approximately 16 inches square and are still sound. The sides consist of wooden siding and the structure originally had a shake roof. The abutments were originally of unmortared stone construction. The east abutment appears to be as originally
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Other references quote various dates, including 1860, 1861 and 1862 as the year that the bridge was constructed. (Adams 1963:134) In any event, this bridge is either the oldest, or one of the oldest covered bridges in the western United States still in general use. (Adams 1963:134)
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constructed, however, the west abutment was faced with concrete at some later date. Yuba County replaced the wooden siding and replaced the shake roof with one of corrugated tin because of the snow loads, some 40 to 50 years ago.
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397:(Thompson § West 1879:100) The bridge is unique in the annals of American covered bridge building in that the portals curve to meet the traveler at either end. (Adams 1963:134)
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The bridge was rehabilitated in early 2018 and is now open to light motor vehicles, with a 5-ton weight limit. This involved replacing the entire cover, and reworking the
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in 1975. The following is excerpted from the
Nomination Form, which was filled out in 1974 by George W. Taylor, Land Use Planner for the Tahoe National Forest:
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Historically, the bridge served local mining and logging communities and carried traffic on what was called
Allegheny Ridge Road, part of the
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This description was written in 1974 on the
Nomination Form for the bridge's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places:
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in 1859 sparked a Nevada mining boom. This route was attractive because goods could be shipped up the
Sacramento River from the
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at a cost of $ 2,500.00. The original bridge was washed away subsequent to the construction of the new bridge. (1879:100)
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National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
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http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/FindingAids/dynaweb/calher/miscster/figures/I0047282A.jpg
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Link to photo showing Native Daughters of the Golden West plaque at the bridge:
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is a historic bridge that spans Oregon Creek just above its confluence with
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Covered bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in California
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Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in California
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327:. It is located approximately 3 miles northeast of the community of
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National Register of Historic Places in Yuba County, California
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before being loaded onto wagons for the trans-Sierra journey.
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Link to photo showing Highway 49 plaque at the bridge:
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http://bridgehunter.com/photos/10/13/101327-M.jpg'
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Buildings and structures in Yuba County, California
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616:at Freeman's Crossing between North San Juan and
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591:http://bridgehunter.com/photos/20/31/203128-L.jpg
585:http://bridgehunter.com/photos/20/31/203124-L.jpg
569:Sierra College eJournal Story on Henness Trail
485:Uglybridges.com National Bridge Inventory Data
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663:Queen post truss bridges in the United States
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607:Link to photo of the Rudyard (English) Dam:
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181:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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601:Link to 1922 photo by Larry Matthews:
545:"Oregon Creek Covered Bridge 05-58-01"
521:"National Register Information System"
448:List of covered bridges in California
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614:Photo of Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
526:National Register of Historic Places
443:List of bridges in the United States
382:National Register of Historic Places
558:National Bridge Inventory Data Base
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643:Former toll bridges in California
16:Bridge in Yuba County, California
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658:Wooden bridges in California
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321:Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
173:Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
23:Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
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337:Oregon Creek Day Use Area
333:California State Route 49
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285:NRHP reference
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274:Architectural style
122:101.1 feet (30.8 m)
138:77.1 feet (23.5 m)
97:Yuba County, California
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250:39.39694°N 121.08194°W
130:11.8 feet (3.6 m)
531:National Park Service
508:National Park Service
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341:Tahoe National Forest
255:39.39694; -121.08194
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502:Taylor, George W.
427:San Francisco Bay
407:Henness Pass Road
325:Middle Yuba River
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533:. July 9, 2010.
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510:. July 22, 1974
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61:39.4°N 121.08°W
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618:Camptonville
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301:May 30, 1975
224:, California
218:Nearest city
135:Longest span
119:Total length
88:Oregon Creek
335:within the
253: /
241:121°04′55″W
229:Coordinates
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39:Coordinates
627:Categories
454:References
431:Marysville
417:after the
238:39°23′49″N
80:Pedestrian
353:abutments
331:just off
269:1860-1871
159:1860-1871
437:See also
310:Location
292:75000499
148:Designer
52:121°05′W
376:History
361:I-beams
339:of the
151:Unknown
143:History
85:Crosses
77:Carries
49:39°24′N
156:Opened
108:Design
93:Locale
266:Built
127:Width
413:via
429:to
287:No.
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491:^
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