The personal and professional website of Douglas Van Bossuyt
The Horse Creek Covered Bridge was moved from its original location to span Myrtle Creek between a gravel parking lot and a nice park next to downtown Myrtle Creek.
Many businesses and community members donated money to have the bridge moved and restored. Their names line the roof of the bridge.
The bridge was originally built in 1930 in Lane County and moved to Myrtle Creek in 1993.
The Sandy Creek Covered Bridge is about halfway between the coast and Roseburg. The road is a blast to ride out to the bridge. The community of Remote consists of two buildings on the other side of the highway from the bridge. One looks abandoned but still maintained. The other is occupied. It must have been an interesting place to be before the highway was paved.
The inside of the bridge is covered in interesting graffiti. This bridge is also remarkable in how open it is inside. Nice and light and without any dark spots like some walled-in covered bridges are prone to be.
The graffiti reads: ” Here again. On 3-1-11 w/ M. Potter moving to Grants Pass – Getting a clean start! The archangel defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God cast into hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl through the world, seeking the ruin of souls! I miss you Maycie, Joe, and Austin. I love you so much! <3 Mom”
It all appears to be the same handwriting. Looks like the top part of the inscription was done after the bottom part. I wonder if Maycie, Joe, and Austin died in a car accident or something similar. Graffiti like this covers the inside of this covered bridge. It seems the county isn’t able to keep in front of it with painting over what has been written. This bridge is an analogue, meat-space version of Twitter in a way.
The small stream flowing under the bridge.
The Rock O’ the Range Covered Bridge is not a true truss bridge like most of the rest of the covered bridges in Oregon. Instead, it appears to be a normal wood span that had a shed added to the top. Still, it’s pretty neat seeing the bridge halfway between Bend and Redmond.
Someone did not observe the height limit. Many of the support members have been knocked out of place by tall trucks since the recent renovation of the roof of the bridge.