Currin Bridge – Lane County

Bridge Over Troubled Waters Tuesday – Week seven!  Currin Bridge is the fourth bridge on our trip through Cottage Grove.  It is located a little way outside Cottage Grove itself, so was a few minutes drive, but it gave me a chance to enjoy the lovely summer scenery near Cottage Grove.

Like many of the other covered bridges found in Oregon, this one is located just next to the bridge that replaced it – the new one as normal isn’t covered and is rather boring if I’m honest – just a normal bridge.  Currin Bridge though is pretty interesting.  It’s easy to see from the street and if you plug the location into your GPS you’ll have absolutely no problems finding it.

The Currin Bridge was built in nineteen twenty-five which makes it one of the older bridges I’ve seen.  Like most of the others there is a large date above the front entrance, which to me gives the visitor a bit of history lesson when they see the bridge.

One of the best things I immediately noticed about this bridge was that since it was a little ways from Cottage Grove it was very clean and nobody else was around – just like I prefer.   As I walked closer the heat from the day became a little tough, so it was with great surprise that when I entered the shadow of the bridge I noticed the temperature drop at least four of five degrees, which was just a fantastic feeling.

Just inside while appreciating the relative coolness I noticed that many of the architectural elements were similar to most of the other bridges I’ve seen.  In this case the only light entering into the bridge was from either end and from short windows that ran along the length of the bridge at the top of the walls on either side.  I can only surmise that the reason for the windows to be that small and near the ceiling to prevent much water from entering during rainy weather.

Another feature I really appreciated about the Currin bridge was that like the Dorena Covered Bridge there is a bit of a gap between the slats in the floor – and on the day I visited the sun shining through the floors looked just magical.  The ceiling as I made my way to the other end from the entrance was also fantastic looking – with large “X” shaped cross beams and a very complicated ceiling structure.

Also like many of the others there is a kind of crash protection along the walls, the colors of the bridge – mostly natural wood, contrasted with the white of the guard rails make for a great view and I found myself really appreciating the simpleness of bygone era construction and decoration.

Finally I was near the end of the bridge – it didn’t seem terribly long, but unlike many of the others I’ve seen there was a gorgeous view looking out from the interior of the bridge toward the countryside, and I again found myself entranced by the simple beauty of this structure and the views it presented.

As I made my way to the end of the bridge and looked back I noticed how nice the water is that the bridge spans, and got a decent shot of the water – I wondered how many folks drove over this bridge marveling as I did at its construction and simplicity.  I really enjoyed Currin Bridge, it has an open, inviting, cool atmosphere.  It was a welcome relief on a warm day and it not having any trash or messes nearby definitely added to my appreciation.  Overall it’s a solid five Heywillamettes, be sure to visit this bridge if you’re near Cottage Grove, it may not be the flashiest, oldest, or longest bridge, but it should be appreciated for what it is, a landmark that has survived for over ninety years and still provides a welcome and rewarding experience.