Brookline-Newfane Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bridge 19
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Grassy Brook Rd., Brookline, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architectural style | Camelback through truss |
| MPS | Metal Truss, Masonry, and Concrete Bridges in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 07001025 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 2007 |
The Brookline-Newfane Bridge is a special historic bridge. It crosses the West River in Vermont. This bridge connects the towns of Brookline and Newfane, Vermont. You can find it on Grassy Brook Road.
It is a unique type of bridge called a camelback through truss. This means its top part looks like a camel's hump. The bridge was built in 1928 by the Berlin Construction Company. It was built after a very big flood in Vermont in 1927. This flood caused a lot of damage.
In 2007, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was called Bridge 19 on this list. At that time, it was one of only seven camelback bridges left in Vermont. The bridge was last fixed up in a big way between 2003 and 2004.
Contents
About the Brookline-Newfane Bridge
The Brookline-Newfane Bridge is located on the West River. This river forms the border between Newfane and Brookline. The road that goes over the bridge has different names. In Brookline, it's called Grassy Spring Road. In Newfane, it's called Radway Hill Road.
Bridge Ownership and Importance
The towns of Brookline and Newfane own this bridge together. It is very important for Brookline. It's the main way to get into Brookline from the south. Grassy Brook Road is also the main road through the town.
How the Bridge is Built
This bridge is made of iron and has a camelback through truss design. Its main part is about 160 feet (49 meters) long. The bridge is about 20 feet (6.3 meters) wide. On the Brookline side, there's an extra steel section. This part is about 30 feet (9 meters) long. It helps you get onto the main bridge.
History of the Bridge
People think there has been a bridge here since 1782. That's when the road connecting the two towns was first mapped out. We don't know how many bridges were here before.
The Great Flood of 1927
A big flood hit Vermont in 1927. This flood destroyed the bridge that was here before. That old bridge was a Town lattice truss bridge. After the flood, temporary bridges were put up quickly. But these temporary bridges were also washed away. This happened during another flood in January 1928.
Building the Current Bridge
The bridge you see today was built in the spring of 1928. The Berlin Construction Company built it. This company was connected to an older company called the Berlin Iron Bridge Company. The new bridge was built on the foundations of the old one. These foundations were made taller. They were raised to almost the same height as the 1927 floodwaters.
