Covered Bridge Wars?

Uh oh.  We've got competition.  Everyone knows that Cottage Grove is the "Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon."  It says so on our welcome sign.  It even says so on GroveAtopia's welcome sign.

So imagine how surprised GroveAtopia was when driving through the lovely countryside around Lebanon, to happen upon Scio, The Covered Bridge Capital of the West.  Talk about one upmanship.  

GroveAtopia wonders how Scio can make this claim.  There are no covered bridges in Scio itself.  Yes there are lovely covered bridges in vicinity of Scio, but how is it that Scio can claim them all?  I think one of them might be closer to Crabtree than Scio.

Furthermore, if you look at the Scio covered bridge tour  only 5 bridges are featured.  

Scio does have the Covered Bridge Coffee House on Main St. (watch out Stacey's!) and they even have a little miniature covered  bridge in one of the town parking lots sort of like the one we used to have in the Opal Whitely park.   

But I'm just not sure they can rightfully claim to be the Covered Bridge Capital of the West. Especially when you compare Scio's 5 bridge tour with Cottage Grove's 7 bridge tour.  Based on the sheer number of bridges, we have them beat.  And we even have two in town - Chambers Bridge and Centennial (which isn't a genuine covered bridge, since it was reconstructed and carries only foot traffic, but at least it was built with wood from another covered bridge) and that doesn't even count the little covered bridge on wheels the Greeters tote around town for various functions.   

On the other hand, most Cottage Grove covered bridge guides include the swinging bridge, which is a great bridge, but in no way is it a covered bridge.  Hmm, so that leaves us with 5 real covered  bridges, Stewart, Dorena, Currin, Mosby Creek and Chambers, plus Centennial and the swinging bridge.  Oh dear, now this is getting complicated.  Now I'm not sure Cottage Grove can claim to be the covered bridge capital of Oregon.  Now I don't think anyone claim to be the covered bridge capital of anywhere.

Except maybe the State of Oregon, with its 51 covered bridges.  Perhaps it should declare itself the covered bridge capital of the world.  Then all the little covered bridge kingdoms in Oregon can unite.  

After all there's no need to fight.