I’m a sucker for a side-trip. That is precisely why I enjoy traveling the smallest, least travelled roads possible. I have a habit of slamming on the brakes and pulling a fast u-turn to check out something that whizzed by the window but lodged in my mind as a curiosity—behavior that is quite impossible and unforgivable on an interstate highway. Thus it was the morning I left Lincoln City, Oregon, headed hopefully toward Niagara Falls. (No, this was not a west coast-east coast trip. There is actually a Niagara Falls in Oregon.) I had only driven a short distance on Highway 18 when a sign caught my eye: Drift Creek Covered Bridge Ahead. Hmmm. I slowed down, fully appreciating the lack of traffic and frequent pull-outs where I could let locals scoot around me.
Then another sign appeared. The sign did not indicate where this road went or what it was called. Covered bridge? I’ll find out. I drove a little ways up the paved road, which meandered endearingly through thick pine forest sheltering small Oregon farms. Then another small home-made sign: Covered Bridge;1 Mile. Satisfied, I continued. And boom, I came around a curve in the road and there it was!

The road through the bridge, however, led to a private residence and did not appear to continue beyond.

The bridge was indeed beautiful and worthy of a side-trip. There was even a little sign-in booklet and what almost looked like a shrine with candles and dried flowers set up on a bench at one end of the bridge. There was also a plexiglass box containing 8.5×11″ sheets typed with The Story of the Drift Creek Covered Bridge, by Laura Mitchel Sweitz covering both sides of the page.
How important was history to our family? We didn’t know exactly how important until a situation arose in our small town. In 1997 the Lincoln County Commissioners voted to demolish the oldest Covered Bridge in Oregon. We live 8 miles from the old historic structure! What happened to us next was incomprehensible.
Well, it was pretty incomprehensible. The story continues to describe a cascading set of misfortunes and miracles that spanned years, fund-raisers, depression, divorce, tears, hard work, and eventually a beautifully restored bridge (to nowhere, I assume.). Note: The bridge was “the Lord’s project. Now all can see what the Lord has built!”

“Originally erected over Drift Creek in 1914. Demolished in 1997 and reconstructed on this sit in 2001. Dedicated to the pioneers of Lincoln County by Laura and Kerry Sweitz who rescued the parts and pieces when the original bridge was demolished and with the aid of many volunteers and superintendents rebuilt the bridge on this part of their property which is available to the public for their enjoyment. This cornerstone dedicated by Taft Masonic Lodge #200 A.F. & A.M. of Lincoln City, Oregon. July 14, 2001.”

It’s a cool bridge and I’m glad Ms. Laura endured all the hardships it took to get the bridge restored. Perhaps the Lord had a mighty hand in keeping Ms. Laura going. But in my humble opinion, this bridge stands as testimony to what determination and grit can accomplish. Kudos to Ms. Laura.
Hello Linda;
I replied this way because I could not get onto your page. The covered bridge is beautiful, especially with the benches. Good for Laura! Keep enjoying the journey.
Warm Regards, Jane
http://www.janesheartsong.wordpress.com
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Linda, I love it. Thanks for the excursion.. If you and I went on a road trip together, we may never make our destination with all of the side trips. I can appreciate the turning around to go back to a neat place you passed. Keith
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Thanks Keith. Yes, the destination is never the object. The adventures are. And woe is me, I was planning several more posts about this trip but my hard drive died and I fear I may have lost the images I was planning to use. Hadn’t yet backed them up. I may have to give in and resort to auto cloud storage. 😞
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Linda, I am sorry about losing the pictures. I like your second and third sentences in your reply. Keith
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My first thought was: That’s a Swiss bridge! Is it a coincidence that people called Sweitz (Schweiz?) rescued it? The most famous of our covered bridges is of course the Kapellbrücke in Lucerne – but this type of bridge can still be found all over rural parts of Switzerland. Was that part of Oregon settled by Swiss?
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Haha. I wondered about that name. I wondered if that was the name of the former husband or the current husband, since the bio
seemed to encompass 2 “lifetimes.”
Kapellbrueke…is that the head bridge? You see how a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Actually, I haven’t seen a lot of covered bridges in my lifetime. To my knowledge their are none in my home state of Wyoming. There is one very long (a mile, perhaps) one in northern Idaho. That one was so large it actually hosted a shopping mall at one time! There are a few more in Oregon ; I always assumed this was because Oregon is a wet climate. I believe they are far more common on the upper east coast in states like Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, etc. Perhaps along the southeastern coast, as well. The first ones I saw I think were in New Hampshire and they looked quite similar to this one.
I’m not sure if Oregon harbored a lot of Swiss immigrants. I do know there were some Scandinavians in the area because the landscape is rather similar to Scandinavia. It drew loggers, people of the forest. Good questions.
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The Kapellbrücke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapellbrücke is the longest and most impressive of Switzerland’s covered bridges. It almost burnt down in the 90’s and was rebuilt (very expensive!) but looks exactly as it did before. Many of he old bridges were demolishes as they had wooden floors and weren’t suitable for cars.
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Aha! The Chapel Bridge. I always learn amazing things from your posts and comments. It looks like a beautiful bridge, indeed. And with paintings inside, it deserves to be a pedestrain bridge.
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A treasure from the past and great subject! I found and photographed some Back East, especially in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and New England. I always thought of them as an Early American kind of thing. I wonder if there are others in the west.
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I always associated covered bridges with the east. But Oregon has quite a few. Perhaps it’s because of the rainy climate? A former colleague of mine just posted a whole bunch of photos he took as he and his wife traveled around looking for Oregon bridges. He said he refered to this site, plus stopped along the way when they saw signs for c. bridges. https://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/blog/post/cottage-grove-covered-bridges/?fbclid=IwAR1c4Ep8hZ_r52gsUlCvh6A1Ec_92gTKQYVaRJR7ihqxrB7EZ9M5UF6nab0
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