The Grave Creek Covered Bridge is the most southern Covered Bridge in Oregon. It is also the last existing covered bridge on what was once the Pacific Highway, and later the Interstate Highway.
Photo used by permission of Rick Hamell
“This covered bridge is the one reamaining covered birdge in Josephine County. It was constructed by Elmer J. Nelson in 1920 as part of the new Pacific Highway Project at a cost of $21,128.65. It was built on Joesphine County’s first donation land claim.
In the fall of 1846, the first emigrant train from Fort Hall, Idaho, to travell the souther route to the Willamette Valley camped on the north side of this creek, then Woodpile creek. Martha Leland Crowley, 16 years old died of Typhoid fever during this encampment and was buried one-hundred fifty feet noth of the creek on the east side of a white oak tree that was later removed for the present roadway, the the name Grave Creek.
When James H. Twogood laid out his land claim in the fall of 1851 and filed on it May 1, 1852, he named it the Grave Creek Ranch in memory of that unfortunate incident.”
Used with permission from Pacific Northwest Photoblog
J. Elmer Nelson was awarded the contract to build the bridge in April, 1920. The bridge was constructed in just four months. It’s a standard Howe Truss design, supported by “dumb bell” concrete pillars. Total cost to build was $21,128. The bridge now belongs to Josephine County. They closed the bridge in 1998 for repairs and reopened it in 2001.
Getting to the bridge is easy, take exit 71 from Interstate 5 towards Sunny Valley. Follow the signs to the Applegate Trail Museum, then pass it. The bridge will be on the road about 1/4 directly ahead.
Grave Creek Ranch 