The theme of 2022's Historic Preservation Month in Benton County is "More Than Ever, This Place Matters."
Van Buren Bridge Video - "Van Buren Bridge, A Visit From the Past." The video presents a story about two ghosts returning to Corvallis. They both magically materialize in front of the Van Buren Bridge at the same time. Mary Oppen, a young artist, is in the process of painting the bridge when a man materializes in front of her and blocks her view of the bridge. The man is C. B. (Mac) McCullough, Oregon’s most famous bridge engineer. They begin to talk and discover that they both had lived in Corvallis when they were young and were drawn to the bridge at this time because they had heard that the bridge was going to be torn down. They had fond memories of Corvallis and the bridge and needed to see it and relive their young lives before it was gone. They take a walk across the bridge and talk about their lives. As they walk Mary talks about the history of Corvallis and Mac talks about the uniqueness of the bridge. They walk across the bridge then disappear into the sunset.
Van Buren Bridge Guided Tour - This historic structure will be removed and destroyed, most likely this year. Roz has been a tireless advocate for saving the bridge. Please join her in learning the history of the bridge and getting an up front tour of its unique features before it disappears forever. Guide: Roz Keeney
For more information about Historic Preservation Month, visit the Benton County webpage, and our blog post.
