A free exhibit tracing 100 years of the Bridge of the Gods opened Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem and runs through Oct. 1.

"Riveting History: 100 Years of the Bridge of the Gods" fills the Capitol's West Galleria with the story of the steel cantilever span that has linked Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Stevenson, Washington, across the Columbia River since 1926.

The Cascade Locks Historical Museum organized the installation as part of the Capitol History Gateway program, funded by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation.

The bridge's centennial falls on Oct. 26. The span opened Oct. 26, 1926. A Chevy sedan was the first car across. The wooden decking was not yet finished, so planks were laid down to drive on. Tolls were 50 cents, with a free return trip if drivers came back within three hours.

The exhibit also covers the 1940 project to raise the entire 1,127-foot span 44 feet to clear the rising reservoir behind Bonneville Dam. The Tavares Construction Company of California won the contract with a $438,000 bid.

Engineer Carl Tavares traveled from Los Angeles to lead the work. Crews used four 500-ton hydraulic jacks, lifting the bridge in seven-foot increments on a weekly cycle.

The bridge closed March 25, 1940, and reopened July 17, 1940, standing 140 feet above the Columbia River.

"The bridge is an icon: an astounding engineering feat with an interwoven history of commerce, legend, and community," Janice Crane, executive director of the Cascade Locks Historical Museum, said in a statement on the museum's website.

The exhibit traces the bridge's origins back further, to the Indigenous legend of "Tahmahnaw," a natural land bridge formed by the massive Cascade Landslide, according to the Capitol's event listing.

Visitors can view the exhibit free during regular Capitol hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A copy is also on display at the Cascade Locks Historical Museum, and an online version is available at cascadelocksmuseum.org/riveting-history. Capitol Visitor Services can be reached at 503-986-1388.

A free Bridge of the Gods Centennial Celebration Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, at Cascade Locks Marine Park, noon to 8 p.m., according to the Port of Cascade Locks. The festival includes sternwheeler cruises, live music and fireworks. Crane is set to present an overview of the bridge's history at 4:30 p.m.