Nestled among the trees six miles west of
Drain just off Highway 38, the Roaring Camp Bridge struggles against time, allowing travellers to cross Elk Creek at a slowed pace.
The bridge, built in 1929, miraculously survived the 1964 flood which washed out many bridges throughout the state. Although the bridge lost both approaches, pleas from local residents saved it from destruction. A few years later, water from the swollen stream rose within inches of the bottom of the bridge, but no damage resulted.
Ownership of the bridge remains clouded. Currently the three families who live on the south side of Elk Creek share in the expense of repair, mostly to the approaches and railings. The residents are still trying to convince the county that the bridge is worth saving, and have petitioned the county to assume responsibility for the structure. The bridge took the name of a nearby roadhouse called Roaring Camp. Some residents still refer to it as the Lancaster Bridge.
