Cilley Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cilley Covered Bridge
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Location | Howe Ln across the First Branch White River, Tunbridge, Vermont |
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Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1883 |
Architectural style | multiple Kingpost truss |
NRHP reference No. | 74000238 |
Added to NRHP | September 10, 1974 |
The Cilley Covered Bridge is a really old and special bridge in Tunbridge, Vermont. It was built way back in 1883! This bridge helps people cross the First Branch White River on Howe Lane. It's a great example of an old-fashioned bridge design called a Kingspost truss. The Cilley Covered Bridge is one of five historic covered bridges in Tunbridge from the 1800s. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Discovering the Cilley Covered Bridge
The Cilley Covered Bridge stands in a quiet, country area. It's about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the main Tunbridge village. This bridge carries Howe Lane, which is a small road off Vermont Route 110. It crosses over the First Branch White River.
What Makes This Bridge Special?
This bridge uses a special design called a Kingspost truss. It is 66 feet (20.1 meters) long and 19 feet (5.8 meters) wide. The road inside is 16 feet (4.9 meters) wide, which is enough for one lane of traffic.
The bridge sits on strong stone supports called abutments. One of these supports has been covered with concrete. The outside of the bridge is covered with vertical wooden boards. It also has a metal roof to protect it from the weather.
On the south side of the bridge, you'll see two square window holes. These windows help drivers see better, especially because there's a sharp turn in the road nearby. The bridge's main support beams are set at an angle. This makes the bridge look like a parallelogram from above. The openings at each end of the bridge are square. The wooden siding on the outside also wraps around to the ends of the inside beams.
A Look Back in Time
The Cilley Covered Bridge was built in 1883. It has not changed much since it was first built. This bridge is one of six covered bridges found along a 7-mile (11.3 km) stretch of the First Branch White River. This area has one of the highest numbers of covered bridges in all of Vermont!