Conde Balcom McCullough

Conde Balcom McCullough (May 30, 1887 – May 6, 1946) was an American civil 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 he died in 1946. McCullough also was a professor at Oregon State University.

Early life Conde McCullough was born in Redfield, South Dakota, on May 30, 1887. In 1891, he and his family moved to Iowa, where his father died in 1904.

Career

McCullough began working for the Marsh Bridge Company in Des Moines, Iowa, where he remained for one year. McCullough advocated that bridges be built economically, efficiently, and with beauty. 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.

Later life and legacy In 1934, McCullough was granted an honorary doctorate from Oregon State University. He was close to his 59th birthday. He was interred in the Mount Crest Abbey Mausoleum at City View Cemetery in Salem. His wife Marie was interred there after her death in 1954. Following McCullough's death, the state of Oregon renamed the North Bend Bridge in his honor.

Works Bridge name Location Year completed Total length Carries Old Youngs Bay Bridge Astoria, Oregon 1921 U.S. Route 101 Oregon City Bridge Oregon City, Oregon 1922 745 feet (227 m) Oregon Route 43 Dry Canyon Creek Bridge near Rowena, Oregon 1922 101.1 ft U.S. Route 30 Myrtle Creek Bridge Myrtle Creek, Oregon 1922 597.1 ft Old Highway 99 Winchester Bridge Winchester, Oregon 1923 884 feet Oregon Route 99 Lewis and Clark River Bridge Astoria, Oregon 1924 828 feet U.S. Route 101 Upper Perry Arch Bridge Perry, Oregon 1924 134 feet (41 m) Old U.S. 30 off I-84 Ellsworth Street Bridge Albany, Oregon 1925 1,090 feet U.S. Route 20 Crooked River High Bridge Jefferson County, Oregon 1926 464 feet U.S. Route 97 Rocky Creek Bridge Lincoln County, Oregon 1927 360 feet U.S. Route 101 Depoe Bay Bridge Depoe Bay, Oregon 1927 312 feet U.S. Route 101 Big Creek Bridge Lane County, Oregon 1931 180 feet U.S. Route 101 Ten Mile Creek Bridge near Yachats, Oregon 1931 180 feet U.S. Route 101 Wilson River Bridge Tillamook County, Oregon 1931 180 feet U.S. Route 101 Sixth Street (Caveman) Bridge Grants Pass, Oregon 1931 550 feet Oregon Route 99 Cape Creek Bridge near Heceta Head 1932 619 feet (188.6 m) U.S. Route 101 Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge Gold Beach, Oregon 1932 1,898 feet (578.5 m) U.S. Route 101 John McLoughlin Bridge Oregon City, Oregon 1933 720 feet Oregon Route 99E Umpqua River Bridge Reedsport, Oregon 1936 2,206 feet U.S. Route 101 Siuslaw River Bridge Florence, Oregon 1936 1,568 feet U.S. Route 101 Original Alsea Bay Bridge Waldport, Oregon 1936 3,028 feet U.S. Route 101 Yaquina Bay Bridge Newport, Oregon 1936 3,223 feet (982 m) U.S. Route 101 Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge North Bend, Oregon 1936 5,305 feet (1.6 km) U.S. Route 101