Historic Railroad Bridge - Mill City, OR - Railroad Bridges on Waymarking.com

“Mill City’s Historic Railroad Bridge was built in 1888 and was eventually moved to Mill City by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1919 where it replaced the original bridge made of wooden timbers. The current structure is the last remaining Phoenix Column bridge in Oregon.

The bridge reflects the special connection that Mill City and the North Santiam Canyon have had with the railroad. In 1887, Santiam Lumbering Company was formed, and Mill City was established in anticipation of the railroad reaching the area in 1888. The existence of Mill City was directly tied to the ability to move logs and lumber to the local mills and to the Willamette Valley. The railroad was also the main transportation system for both people and freight prior to the development of an all-weather road system. The Santiam Lumbering Company was purchased by W.W Curtiss in 1899 and A.B. Hammond in 1900. As Hammond Lumber Company, it expanded to become one of the largest lumber mills west of the Rocky Mountains.

Southern Pacific Railroad suspended service to Mill City in 1967, and in 1971 the last train crossed the bridge. A portion of the original line still services the Frank Lumber Company Inc. and Freres Lumber Company Inc. located on Lyons-Mill City Drive.”

Source: Mill City’s Save Our Bridge campaign.

Coordinates listed were recorded on the west end of the bridge.

Bridge Type: Truss Bridge Usage: Pedestrian Moving Bridge: This bridge is static (has no moving pieces)

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