|
 Length = 105'
Built: 1920
The "Grave Creek Covered Bridge", is one
of the few covered bridges that remain in southern
Oregon. From Vancouver B.C. to the Mexican border, it is
the only one visible from the I-5 freeway. Be sure to
visit the Applegate Trail Interpretive Center while in
Sunny Valley. It provides a first hand look into the
local area, history, fabulous displays, theatre & more.
In the fall of 1846, the first emigrant train from Fort
Hall, Idaho, to travel the southern route to the
Willamette Valley camped on the north side of this
creek, then Woodpile Creek. Martha Leland Crowley, 16
years old died of typhoid fever during this encampment
and was buried 150 feet north of the creek on the east
side or a white oak tree that was later removed for the
present roadway, thus the name "Grave Creek".
When James H. Twogood laid out his land claim in the
fall of 1851 and filed it on May 1st 1852, he named it
the Grave Creek Ranch in memory of that unfortunate
incident.
McDonough Harkness, his partner, was the first
postmaster of Josephine County in the newly named town
of Leland on March 28,1855. Harkness was killed by the
Indians in April 1856 while riding dispatch for the Army
during the second Indian War of southern Oregon which
started in October of 1855. For more information see
our: Sunny Valley Page
LOCATION
Latitude:
N42 38.17
Longitude:
W123 22.66
MAP
Directions: 14 miles north of Grants Pass.
0.5 mile east of jct I5 exit 71 on Sunny Valley Rd., the bridge can
be seen from I-5
|
