National Register of Historic Places

Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)

Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon
Listed
June 30, 2005
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
05000639

About this property

The Oregon City Bridge, also known as the Arch Bridge, is a steel through arch bridge spanning the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1922, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built and is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) as part of Oregon Route 43 and is the third-southernmost Willamette bridge in the Portland metropolitan area, after the Boone Bridge in Wilsonville and the Oregon 219 bridge near Newberg. The bridge is 745 ft (227 m) in length and 28 ft (8½ m) wide with a 360 ft (110 m) long main span that provides 49 ft (15 m) of vertical clearance at low river levels. The narrow width causes problems for large vehicles that cross it, often requiring traffic going in the other direction to stop. TriMet buses ceased using the bridge in 2009. This bridge is the only Oregon bridge to be encased in gunite, which protects it from corrosive sulfur dioxide emissions from paper mills south of the bridge. The concrete look was favored by bridge designer Conde McCullough, designer of 500 Oregon bridges. His signature detailing is evident in the obelisk pylons with sconced light fixtures, ornate railings, and Art Deco piers. The Oregon City Bridge is just downstream from the 40 ft (12 m) tall Willamette Falls and the Willamette Falls Locks, the oldest navigational locks in the United States. Downstream from this bridge is the George Abernethy Bridge, which carries Interstate 205.

Location

Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon
45.35918, -122.60980

Categories

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National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Oregon City Masonic Lodge
Industrial
0.1 mi
Historic City Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Petzold, Richard B., Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lewthwaite-Moffatt House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Oregon City Municipal Elevator
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357) listed on the National Register?

Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 30, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)?

Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)?

The period of significance for Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357) is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)?

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