The Irish Bend Covered Bridge

The Irish Bend Covered Bridge on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.  The design of the bridge was based on standard plans developed by the Oregon State Highway Department the 1920s. Benton County constructed the bridge in 1954 over the Willamette Slough on Irish Bend Road. Construction of a newer span and culverts in 1975 caused the bridge to be bypassed and it was subsequently dismantled by the county in 1988.  The bridge was reassembled in 1989 by volunteers (including off-duty Benton County employees, Oregon State University students and staff, and Covered Bridge Society of Oregon members as part of a community-wide preservation effort).  It now carries the Campus Way pedestrian and bike path over Oak Creek.  The bridge sits in a pastoral location surrounded by farm fields, similar to the bridge’s original setting, with a paved path which bypasses the bridge immediately to the west.

To find the bridge on the west side of Corvallis, follow Oregon 34 west toward Philomath. Turn right (north) on 53rd Street and park in the Benton County Fairgrounds on the west side of 53rd. Follow the Midge Cramer Path (Campus Way) on the east side of 53rd. You can also approach on Campus Way from 35th Street.