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Jordan Covered Bridge 37-24-(a

Marion County, Oregon

Photos 

Jordan Covered Bridge

Photo taken by Michael Goff on March 20, 2010

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BH Photo #162326

Map 

Description 

Prior to 1986, the Jordan Bridge spanned Thomas Creek in neighboring Linn County several miles east of Scio. The original bridge location had once been the site for a dam, a cheese factory, two mills and a general store.

When Linn County announced the aging Jordan Bridge was to be replaced in 1986, Stayton residents asked if they could take title to the structure. A covered bridge preservation company was formed, enlisting the help of numerous volunteers and Marine Corps reservists for the 6th Engineering Battalion in Salem. The span was rebuilt over the Salem Power Canal to serve as a foot bridge connecting two parks. The process of rebuilding the Jordan Bridge occupied nearly two years, culminating in a dedication ceremony in June 1988.

In the Tuesday, December 27, 1994, edition of The Stayton Mail, the headlines read "A community dream in ashes." The bridge had caught fire December 20th at 2:00 AM when Christmas lights ignited the roof. Photos of the still standing charred trusses depicted the scene. The city decided to demolish the trusses and burn what remained of the bridge.

Local citizens toiled throughout 1997 and 1998 to construct a new covered bridge at the site. The new bridge incorporates glue laminated members for added strength and was dedicated in September 1998.

(Reference: Roofs Over Rivers, by Bill and Nick Cockrell)

Facts 

Overview
Howe through truss bridge over Salem Power Canal on Park Path
Location
Stayton, Marion County, Oregon
Status
Open to pedestrians
History
Built 1937, Relocated 1988, Burned 1994, Reconstructed 1998
Design
The Jordan Covered Bridge is a reconstructed version of a 1937 covered Howe through truss. The original covered bridge was destroyed in a 1994 fire and was rebuilt using new materials by the citizens of Stayton in 1998.
The new bridge features glue-laminated timbers as oppose to the traditional solid timber members used in the past.
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 90.0 ft.
Total length: 110.0 ft.
Deck width: 17.5 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 11.6 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.79854, -122.78584   (decimal degrees)
44°47'55" N, 122°47'09" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
10/516937/4960593 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Stayton
Inventory number
BH 44854 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Beam (14,592)
Built 1998 (82)
Built during 1990s (660)
Covered (1,530)
Covered Bridges of Oregon (52)
Howe through truss (424)
Howe truss (520)
Marion County, Oregon (57)
Modern (2,180)
 Open to pedestrians (3,849)
Oregon (1,115)
Owned by city (4,988)
Span length 75-100 feet (6,204)
Stayton, Oregon (3)
Through truss (14,191)
Timber stringer (3,748)
Total length 100-125 feet (5,012)
Truss (31,415)

Update Log 

  • February 20, 2019: New photos from Mike Garland
  • February 15, 2019: New photos from Mike Garland
  • April 8, 2018: New photos from Richard Doody
  • March 30, 2011: New photos from Michael Goff
  • September 19, 2010: New photos from Doug Kerr
  • April 13, 2010: Added by Michael Goff

Sources 

  • HAER OR-8 - Jordan Covered Bridge, Spanning Thomas Creek, County Road 829, Scio vicinity, Linn, OR
  • Mike Goff - michael [dot] goff [at] hotmail [dot] com
  • Jordan Covered Bridge - Oregon Covered Bridge Guide
  • Doug Kerr
  • Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon - Dwight A. Smith, James B. Norman & Pieter T. Dykman, Oregon Historical Society Press, 1989
  • Richard Doody
  • Mike Garland - Rapier342 [at] comcast [dot] net

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