A Bridge to Oregon's History
These photos of the completed Coos Bay Bridge in North Bend were both taken from un-mailed and undated postcards from the archives of the Coos History Museum. The photos likely date sometime shortly after completion of the span in 1936. The bridge, extending U.S. Route 101 through North Bend, was renamed the Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge in 1947 for its designer. The project was funded largely by the Depression-era Public Works Administration. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
COOS HISTORY MUSEUM & MARITIME COLLECTION / 986-14.2
Between 1919 and 1946, Conde B. McCullough helped to create some of the most iconic landmarks on the U.S. Route 101.
As the head of the Bridge Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation in 1919, McCullough oversaw the design of Oregon's bridges at a significant time in the completion of the Oregon Coast Highway.
Designing 13 of the 20 bridges that make up the Oregon Coast Highway, McCullough's spectacular aesthetic and utilitarian design can be seen all along the 363-mile stretch.
The Coos Bay Bridge was finished in 1936 and, at the time, was the longest bridge in Oregon at 5,305 feet. In 1947, the bridge was dedicated to McCullough and renamed the Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge.
The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge.
COOS HISTORY MUSEUM & MARITIME COLLECTION / 003-6.3 A
Find more stunning and historic photos of Coos County in The World's new pictorial history book, Coos County Memories: The Early Years.
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