Lowell Bridge

Lowell Bridge in Lowell, Oregon, spans the Middle Fork Willamette River at a crossing central to the town’s origin. Before any bridge existed, pioneer Amos Hyland settled there in 1874, founded Lowell, named it for his birthplace in Maine, and operated a ferry until Nels Roney built the first bridge in 1907. The present covered bridge was built in 1945 after a truck badly damaged the earlier one, and it is notable as Oregon’s widest covered bridge. Raised in 1953 to stay above waters created by Dexter Dam and Dexter Reservoir, it survived another serious truck strike in 1979 and was repaired.

Oregon · United States