Kiger Island

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Kiger Island is a 2,200 acre island in Oregon formed by a fork between the Willamette River and the Booneville Channel. The only road (SE Kiger Island Drive) is located off of Highway 99W/3rd Street, just south of the Corvallis city limit. The island is located at 44.513ºN, 123.233ºW.

Kiger Island is part of Benton County, with the Linn County line following the contour of the eastern (river) side of the island.

[edit] History

In pre-settlement times, the island was a summertime home for the Chepenefra (Mary's River) Kalapuya. Even today, artifacts and human remains are periodically discovered.

Until 1964, when it was finally dismantled to make way for a more modern construction, the Kiger Island covered bridge was - at 340 feet - the longest covered span in Oregon. A bridge in use since at least 1914 was updated in 1934 to State Highway Commission specifications, calling for the record-setting length. However, the clearance did not even reach 16 feet, limiting the size of agricultural machinery and vehicles which could traverse it. In August of 1963, the bridge seen today was built alongside the aging structure. In that same year, the covering was removed from the old bridge and, in 1964, was dismantled entirely. The only evidence left of the historic span are small remnants of the pylons.

[edit] Agriculture

Agriculture has always been the majority occupation of island residents. In the first half of the 20th century, (James) Grant Elgin kept a large peach orchard on the island. Currently, there can be found several varieties of grass for seed, peppermint (first planted 1995-96) and blueberries from at least three different growers around the island. In the past 20 years there has been a large shift to the hazelnut (filbert) industry.