Conde McCullough
Encyclopedia
Conde Balcom McCullough (1887–1946) was a U.S.
bridge
engineer
who is primarily known for designing many of Oregon
's coastal bridges on U.S. Route 101. The native of South Dakota
worked for the Oregon Department of Transportation
from 1919 to 1935 and 1937 until 1946. McCullough also was a professor at Oregon State University
.
, South Dakota
, on May 30, 1887. In 1891, he and his family moved to Iowa
where his father died in 1904. McCullough then worked at various jobs to support the family. In 1910, he graduated from Iowa State University
with a civil engineering
degree.
McCullough began working for the Marsh Bridge Company in Des Moines, Iowa
, where he remained for one year. He then went to work for the Iowa State Highway Commission
. Conde moved to Oregon in 1916 and became an assistant professor of civil engineering at Oregon Agricultural College
, and the sole structural engineering professor at the school. In 1919 he became the head of the Bridge Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation
, making him personally responsible for the design of Oregon's bridges at a time when the state was completing Highway 101.
His designs are well known for their architectural beauty. McCullough advocated that bridges be built economically, efficiently, and with beauty. He helped design over 600 bridges, many with architectural details such as Gothic spires, art deco obelisks, and Romanesque arches incorporated into the bridges. In 1928, he graduated from Willamette University College of Law
and passed the bar
the same year. In 1935 he moved to San José, Costa Rica
to help design bridges on the Pan-American Highway
. He returned to Oregon in 1937 to become the assistant state highway engineer.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who is primarily known for designing many of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
's coastal bridges on U.S. Route 101. The native of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
worked for the Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
from 1919 to 1935 and 1937 until 1946. McCullough also was a professor at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
.
Early life
Conde McCullough was born in RedfieldRedfield, South Dakota
Redfield is a city in and the county seat of Spink County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,333 at the 2010 census. The city is not to be confused with the surrounding Redfield Township, which encompasses unincorporated areas outside of the city limits.-Geography:Redfield is...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, on May 30, 1887. In 1891, he and his family moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
where his father died in 1904. McCullough then worked at various jobs to support the family. In 1910, he graduated from Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
with a civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
degree.
Career
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, where he remained for one year. He then went to work for the Iowa State Highway Commission
Iowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
. Conde moved to Oregon in 1916 and became an assistant professor of civil engineering at Oregon Agricultural College
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, and the sole structural engineering professor at the school. In 1919 he became the head of the Bridge Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
, making him personally responsible for the design of Oregon's bridges at a time when the state was completing Highway 101.
His designs are well known for their architectural beauty. McCullough advocated that bridges be built economically, efficiently, and with beauty. He helped design over 600 bridges, many with architectural details such as Gothic spires, art deco obelisks, and Romanesque arches incorporated into the bridges. In 1928, he graduated from Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law is a private law school located in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, Willamette University is the oldest university in the Western United States...
and passed the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
the same year. In 1935 he moved to San José, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
to help design bridges on the Pan-American Highway
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
. He returned to Oregon in 1937 to become the assistant state highway engineer.
Later life and legacy
In 1934 McCullough was granted an honorary doctorate from Oregon State University. He published The Engineer at Law with his son John McCullough who also was an attorney. McCullough died of a stroke at his home on May 5, 1946. After his death the state renamed the Coos Bay Bridge the Conde McCullough Memorial BridgeConde McCullough Memorial Bridge
The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge, formerly the Coos Bay Bridge, is a cantilever bridge that spans Coos Bay on U.S. Route 101 near North Bend, Oregon....
.
Bridges designed by McCullough
| Bridge name | Location | Year completed | Total length | Carries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Youngs Bay Bridge Old Youngs Bay Bridge The Old Youngs Bay Bridge is a bascule bridge across Youngs Bay in Astoria, Oregon completed in 1921. Conde McCullough was responsible for designing and building this bridge, his first.... |
Astoria, Oregon Astoria, Oregon Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811... |
1921 | 1766.2 feet (538.3 m) | U.S. Route 101 |
| Oregon City Bridge Oregon City Bridge The Oregon City Bridge is a steel through arch bridge spanning the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, United States. It was built and is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation as part of Oregon Route 43 and is the third southernmost Willamette bridge in the... |
Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon... |
1922 | 745 feet (227 m) | Oregon Route 43 |
| Dry Canyon Creek Bridge | near Rowena, Oregon Rowena, Oregon Rowena is an unincorporated community in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Rowena as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same... |
1922 | 101.1 ft | U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the... |
| Winchester Bridge | Winchester, Oregon Winchester, Oregon Winchester is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. It is located four miles north of Roseburg on Interstate 5 and the North Umpqua River... |
1923 | 884 feet | Oregon Route 99 |
| Lewis and Clark River Bridge Lewis and Clark River Bridge The Lewis and Clark River Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Lewis and Clark River on U.S. Route 101 in Clatsop County, Oregon. It was designed by Conde McCullough and opened in 1924.... |
Astoria, Oregon Astoria, Oregon Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811... |
1924 | 828 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| North Umpqua River Bridge | Winchester, Oregon Winchester, Oregon Winchester is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. It is located four miles north of Roseburg on Interstate 5 and the North Umpqua River... |
1924 | 784 feet | Oregon Route 99 |
| Ellsworth Street Bridge Ellsworth Street Bridge The Ellsworth Street Bridge is a highway bridge that crosses the Willamette River in Albany, Oregon, United States. Built in 1925, the two-lane structure carries U.S. Route 20 eastbound traffic, with the adjacent Lyon Street Bridge carrying westbound traffic... |
Albany, Oregon Albany, Oregon Albany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is... |
1925 | 1,090 feet | U.S. Route 20 |
| Rocky Creek Bridge | Lincoln County, Oregon Lincoln County, Oregon -National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge*Siuslaw National Forest -Demographics:... |
1927 | 360 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Depoe Bay Bridge | Depoe Bay, Oregon Depoe Bay, Oregon Depoe Bay is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States, located on U.S. Route 101 next to the Pacific Ocean. The population was 1,174 at the 2000 census, with an unofficial estimated population of 1,355 in 2007... |
1927 | 312 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Crooked River High Bridge Crooked River High Bridge The Crooked River High Bridge is a steel arch bridge that spans the Crooked River gorge in Jefferson County, Oregon. The bridge was designed by Conde McCullough and was completed in 1926. Shortly after its completion, Oregon State Highway Division created the Peter Skene Ogden Park just to the... |
Jefferson County, Oregon Jefferson County, Oregon Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 21,720. It is named after Mount Jefferson. The seat of the county is Madras.-History:... |
1926 | 464 feet | U.S. Route 97 |
| Big Creek Bridge | Lane County, Oregon Lane County, Oregon -National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:... |
1931 | 180 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Ten Mile Creek Bridge Ten Mile Creek Bridge (Oregon) Ten Mile Creek Bridge is a Conde McCullough-designed bridge near Yachats, Oregon in Lane County, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.... |
near Yachats, Oregon Yachats, Oregon Yachats is a small coastal city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name comes from the Siletz language, and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain". There is a range of differing etymologies, however. William Bright says the name comes from... |
1931 | 180 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Wilson River Bridge Wilson River Bridge Wilson River Bridge, also known as Wilson River Bridge at Tillamook or Wilson River Bridge No. 01499, is a bridge near Tillamook, Oregon, United States. The 1931 bridge was designed by Conde McCullough in the Classical Revival and Art Deco styles. It covers a span of 180 feet and brings coastal U.S... |
Tillamook County, Oregon Tillamook County, Oregon Tillamook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for the Tillamook, a Native American tribe who were living in the area in the early 19th century at the time of European American settlement. In 2010, the county's population was 25,250... |
1931 | 180 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Rogue River Bridge | Grants Pass, Oregon Grants Pass, Oregon -Rogue River:The Rogue River runs through Grants Pass.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,003 people, 9,376 households, and 5,925 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 9,885 housing units at an average density of 1,303.3 per square mile . By 2008,... |
1931 | 550 feet | Redwood Highway Redwood Highway The Redwood Highway refers to the following two highway segments in California, United states:*U.S. Route 101 in California, from the Golden Gate Bridge - Marin County, California through the North Coast region to the junction with U.S. Route 199 near Crescent City, California.*The entire route of... |
| Cape Creek Bridge Cape Creek Bridge Cape Creek Bridge is an arch bridge that spans Cape Creek in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The bridge carries U.S. Route 101. Opened in 1932, it was designed by noted bridge engineer Conde McCullough and built of reinforced concrete by John K. Holt. The total length of the bridge is 619... |
near Heceta Head | 1932 | 619 feet (188.6 m) | U.S. Route 101 |
| Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge The Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge, also known as the Rogue River Bridge and the Isaac Lee Patterson Memorial Bridge, is a concrete arch bridge that spans the Rogue River in Curry County, Oregon. The bridge carries U.S... |
Gold Beach, Oregon Gold Beach, Oregon Gold Beach is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, Oregon, United States, on the Oregon Coast. The population was 1,897 at the 2000 census.-History:... |
1932 | 1,898 feet (578.5 m) | U.S. Route 101 |
| John McLoughlin Bridge John McLoughlin Bridge The John McLoughlin Bridge is a tied-arch bridge that spans the Clackamas River between Oregon City and Gladstone, Oregon, in the northwest United States. It was designed by Conde McCullough, and named for Dr. John McLoughlin.... |
Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City, Oregon Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon... |
1933 | 720 feet | Oregon Route 99E |
| Umpqua River Bridge Umpqua River Bridge The Umpqua River Bridge is a swing-span bridge that spans the Umpqua River in Reedsport, Oregon. It consists of a central swing span flanked by two reinforced concrete arches on each end. The swing span was necessary to accommodate tall sailing vessels which were common on the Umpqua River. The... |
Reedsport, Oregon Reedsport, Oregon Reedsport is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,154.- History :Reedsport was established on the estuary of the Umpqua River on January 7, 1852. It was named for a local settler, Alfred W. Reed, who founded the city in 1912... |
1936 | 2,206 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Siuslaw River Bridge Siuslaw River Bridge The Siuslaw River Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Siuslaw River on U.S. Route 101 in Florence, Oregon. It was designed by Conde McCullough, built by the Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka, California, and funded by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works . It opened in 1936.The... |
Florence, Oregon Florence, Oregon Florence is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 8,466.-History:The Florence area was originally inhabited by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans. Some state that the city was named for state senator A. B... |
1936 | 1,568 feet | U.S. Route 101 |
| Alsea Bay Bridge Alsea Bay Bridge The Alsea Bay Bridge is a concrete arch bridge that spans the Alsea Bay on U.S. Route 101 near Waldport, Oregon.- History :There have been two bridges on this site.The first bridge was designed by Conde McCullough and opened in 1936... |
Waldport, Oregon Waldport, Oregon Waldport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the Alsea River and Alsea Bay, south of Newport and north of Yachats.-Geography:... |
1936 | U.S. Route 101 | |
| Yaquina Bay Bridge Yaquina Bay Bridge The Yaquina Bay Bridge is an arch bridge that spans Yaquina Bay south of Newport, Oregon. It is one of the most recognizable of the U.S. Route 101 bridges designed by Conde McCullough.... |
Newport, Oregon Newport, Oregon Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868... |
1936 | 3,223 feet (982 m) | U.S. Route 101 |
| Coos Bay Bridge Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge, formerly the Coos Bay Bridge, is a cantilever bridge that spans Coos Bay on U.S. Route 101 near North Bend, Oregon.... |
North Bend, Oregon North Bend, Oregon North Bend is a city in Coos County, Oregon, in the United States with a population of 9,695 as of the 2010 census. North Bend is surrounded on three sides by Coos Bay, an S-shaped water inlet and estuary where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean, and borders the city of Coos Bay,... |
1936 | 5,305 feet (1.6 km) | U.S. Route 101 |