Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
Also known as: Freeman`s Covered Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning Oregon Creek northeast of North San Juan, this covered bridge is about 83 feet long and uses a Howe pony truss built from hand-hewn Ponderosa Pine beams roughly 16 inches square. Tom Freeman, who operated it as a toll bridge until his death in 1892, is credited with building it; sources disagree on whether it dates to the 1860s or 1871. Its portals curve to meet travelers at each end, a feature described as unique among American covered bridges. In 1883 a flood from a failed dam upstream lifted the structure off its abutments and turned it end for end before it was set back in place. Yuba County later took it over, replaced the siding, and swapped the shake roof for corrugated tin because of snow loads. It is considered either the oldest or among the oldest covered bridges in the western United States still in general use, and it continues to serve as access to a national forest campground.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is either the oldest or one of the oldest covered bridges in the western United States still in general use. It is also described as unique among American covered bridges because its portals curve to meet travelers at each end. It has served continuously since construction, and it carries a story of being swept away and turned end for end in an 1883 flood.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000499, listed May 30, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3 mi. NE of North San Juan over Oregon Creek, North San Juan |
|---|---|
| County | Yuba County |
| Listed | May 30, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000499 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Tom Freeman (builder) |
| Architectural style | Howe pony truss covered bridge |
| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, on its original site. Still in use as the main access to Oregon Creek Campground, and owned and maintained by Yuba County. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.39656, -121.08218 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18154836
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.