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Irish Bend Bridge |
Following its construction in 1954, the bridge provided access across the Willamette Slough on Irish Bend Road, approximately 15 miles south of Corvallis. Following installation of two large culverts and realignment of the road in 1975, the Irish Bend covered span languished until it was dismantled in 1988.
The span may originally have been constructed over the Long Tom River about 30 miles to the south and later moved to the Irish Bend site, but research on this issue is not yet completed.
Various plans had been proposed for use of the bridge, including floating it downriver to be relocated to a new site. Negotiations and attempts to save it were of little interest until an agreement was reached between Benton County officials and Oregon State University to reconstruct it on University property near Corvallis.
The Irish Bend Advisory Committee raised over $30,000 with Benton County providing an equal amount in matching funds for the relocation of the span.
