McKee Bridge is a 122-foot Howe truss covered bridge spanning the Applegate River near Buncom in Jackson County, Oregon. Built in 1917, it is one of the most significant covered bridges in southern Oregon, spanning one of the major tributaries of the Rogue River in a canyon setting of dramatic beauty.
Named for early settler John McKee, the bridge was a critical link in the Applegate Valley road system. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and remains an important destination on the Applegate Valley covered bridge route.
McKee Bridge was constructed in 1917 to provide a reliable crossing of the Applegate River, which had been the center of gold mining activity since the 1850s. The Applegate Valley attracted placer miners, then farmers and ranchers, with the bridge serving successive generations of inhabitants in this remote southern Oregon canyon.
The bridge is named for John McKee, a pioneer who settled in the Applegate Valley in the late 19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and has undergone preservation work to maintain its historic fabric.