Bradley Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Bradley Covered Bridge
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Center St., Lyndon, Vermont |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1878 |
| Built by | Stone, E. H. |
| Architectural style | queenpost truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000096 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1977 |
The Bradley Covered Bridge is a really old and special covered bridge in Lyndon, Vermont. It helps Center Street cross over Miller Run, which is a small river that flows into the Passumpsic River. This bridge was built way back in 1878. For a long time, it was the only covered bridge from the 1800s in Vermont that was part of a main state road (Vermont Route 122). In 1977, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
Bradley Covered Bridge
The Bradley Covered Bridge is found just north of downtown Lyndon. It crosses Miller Run on Central Street. This street connects to Gilman Road, where Vermont Route 122 now runs.
What is a Covered Bridge?
A covered bridge is a special type of bridge with walls and a roof. They were built this way to protect the wooden parts of the bridge from rain, snow, and sun. This helped the bridges last much longer. The Bradley Covered Bridge is a great example of this old building style.
Building the Bridge
The Bradley Covered Bridge was built in 1878 by a person named E.H. Stone. It uses a design called a queenpost truss. A truss is like a strong framework of triangles that helps the bridge hold up weight. In a queenpost truss, there are two main vertical posts that help support the bridge's span.
This bridge is similar to five other covered bridges in the area. They all share some cool features. These include long eaves (the parts of the roof that hang over the sides), half-height siding (the walls only go up halfway), and special diagonal corners at the entrances.
How the Bridge Looks Today
The bridge is about 56.5 feet (17.2 m) long and 17.5 feet (5.3 m) wide. The part where cars drive is about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide. It has a metal roof to keep it safe from the weather. The base of the bridge, called abutments, are made of concrete.
The sides of the bridge have wooden boards that cover about half their height. There's also a sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. It sticks out from the main bridge and has its own small roof. The road surface inside the bridge is made of wooden planks.
A Special Bridge
When it was first built, the Bradley Covered Bridge was an important part of the local road system. In 1973, something unexpected happened. A truck that was too tall tried to cross the bridge and caused a lot of damage to the entrance on the south side.
What Happened in 1973?
After the truck incident, the bridge needed a lot of repairs. It has been carefully restored to its original condition. In 1995, it went through another renovation to make sure it stays strong and safe for many more years.
At the time it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, Vermont Route 122 still went over this bridge. This made the Bradley Covered Bridge the only 19th-century covered bridge in Vermont that was still part of a state highway. This shows how important and special this historic bridge truly is!
