Chambers Railroad Bridge
Chambers Railroad Bridge is a 78-foot Howe truss covered railroad bridge spanning the Coast Fork of the Willamette River near Cottage Grove in Lane County, Oregon. Originally built in 1925, it is the only remaining covered railroad bridge in Oregon — a unique survivor of a once-common type that served logging and agricultural rail lines throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The bridge was rebuilt in 2011 while preserving its historic covered form, maintaining the visual character of the original structure. Its setting in the Row River corridor places it among a remarkable cluster of historic covered bridges south of Cottage Grove.
Chambers Railroad Bridge was built in 1925 to carry a rail line across the Coast Fork of the Willamette River in the Cottage Grove area. Rail-served timber and agricultural operations were common throughout Lane County at this time, and covered bridges protected wooden rail structures from accelerated decay in Oregon's wet climate.
The bridge takes its name from the Chambers family, among the early settlers of the area. It is the last surviving covered railroad bridge in Oregon, as nearly all others were replaced or demolished as rail lines were retired or upgraded.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, the bridge was rebuilt in 2011 to preserve its historic character and continued use. It stands as the sole example of a once-widespread type of covered structure in the Pacific Northwest.