BUTTE CREEK CANYON — Frames made with thick wood beams, raised to form the beginnings of a rebuilt Honey Run Covered Bridge, mark a significant milestone in Camp Fire recovery and will soon fill the void that was left over Butte Creek and in locals’ hearts.
More than five years after the landmark’s destruction in the Camp Fire, the early phases of reconstruction have been completed.
Solid concrete columns, seen Saturday protruding from Butte Creek, are ready to bear a more than 36,000 pounds of metal and 168,000 pounds of wood once the bridge is complete and set into place by a 500-ton crane, according to Walt Schafer, director of the Honey Run Covered Bridge Association.
“The bridge is a symbol of recovery, resilience, community and unity,” Schafer said. “This has brought together elements of a community across partisan lines, religious lines, social class lines to focus on a common goal which is rebuilding a bridge.”
While it may not be the same bridge built in 1886, this new one will look as close to the original given the number of building code updates since the original, according to Schafer.
“The way we put it is (that) it’s got to be a replica of an old bridge with modifications required by modern bridge standards,” Schafer said.
The size, shape and profile will be identical to the old bridge, though some metal pieces will add to its structural integrity. Schafer said metal seen exposed during its construction will eventually be covered by wood.
The first phase of construction has been completed with new columns seen installed in the creek by Q&D Construction from Nevada, according to Schafer. The old bridge’s columns were removed in early July.
Now, in the second phase, wooden beams shipped from Western Wood Structures in Oregon are being assembled into frames to create the first two sections of the bridge — a taller section for the middle of the bridge and a shorter section for the northwest side of the creek. A third section on the southeast side of the creek will be built once a 500-ton crane from Sacramento is brought in around August 8 to lift and set the middle section of the bridge into place, according to Schafer.
Other additions to the park were seen Saturday, including a bicycle tire repair station made by Pleasant Valley High School student Jack English for his 2024 Eagle Scout project in Troop 2 Chico; and a little free library located by restrooms dedicated to Leah Lokan, a Butte Creek Canyon resident who died in 2022. A wedding awning has also been installed with a grant awarded by the Chico American Cancer Society Discovery Shop.
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Schafer said construction of the bridge is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024. He said the bridge will be open only to pedestrians and to emergency vehicles when needed.
Schafer owes the existence of the new bridge to community members and organizations who contributed their time and money; who bought Christmas ornaments made with recovered metal from the old bridge, crafted by Karen and Andy Wilhoit; and who bought merchandise like whiskey from Golden Beaver Distillery to support the rebuild.
“There have been some citizens in town who really adopted this as a kind of mission who were instrumental, especially in the early years of the fire (recovery),” Schafer said.
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