 |
Hoffman BridgeThis covered bridge spans Crabtree Creek one mile northeast of the town of Crabtree. Both the town and the creek were named for John Crabtree, who settled in the area in 1845. |
Gothic style windows grace this structure, instead of the usual open Linn County truss design. A protective metal strip has been added to the upstream side of the bridge to keep debris and high water from damaging the lower portion of the bridge siding. The portal design, originally rounded when the bridge was constructed, was enlarged and squared to allow passage of larger loads. The bridge today exhibits a metal roof, and the abutments consist of wooden pilings. The upper chords show signs of being shaped by hand, and as most bridge crews in 1936 had yet to use power tools, logs were often cut nearby. Shaping of the chord timbers was done with hand adzes prior to being placed across the stream.
The roofed river crossing was built by Lee Hoffman following State Highway Department specifications. The structure is one of the few Linn County covered bridges scheduled to be kept in use indefinitely, and the span appears to be in excellent condition.
