Cold River Bridge (Clarendon, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cold River Bridge
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1985 survey photo
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location |  VT 7B over the Cold River, Clarendon, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architectural style | Parker through truss |
| MPS | Metal Truss, Masonry, and Concrete Bridges in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001608 |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 1991 |
The Cold River Bridge was a special old bridge in Clarendon, Vermont. It used to carry Vermont Route 7B (VT 7B) over the Cold River. This bridge was made of steel and had a unique design called a Parker through truss. The American Bridge Company built it in 1928.
Many bridges like this one were built after the terrible Great Vermont Flood of 1927. This flood caused a lot of damage in Vermont. The Cold River Bridge was once part of U.S. Route 7 (US 7). Later, a new bridge was built nearby, and this old bridge was closed in 1989. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. However, it was later taken down because it was no longer safe.
What Was the Cold River Bridge Like?
The Cold River flows west through northern Clarendon. It eventually joins Otter Creek. The Cold River Bridge carried VT 7B, which was an older path for US 7. It was located a short distance south of where VT 7B met US 7.
The bridge was about 150 feet (46 m) long. Its deck, or road surface, was 24.5 feet (7.5 m) wide. It rested on strong concrete supports called abutments. The main parts of the bridge, called trusses, were made from rolled steel I-beams. These pieces were held together with rivets. The bridge had a concrete road surface on top of steel beams.
Why Was This Bridge Important?
The Cold River Bridge was built in 1928. It was part of a big project by the state of Vermont. They built about 1,600 bridges between the 1927 floods and 1930. The American Bridge Company built the trusses for this bridge. At that time, they were the top company for making steel bridge trusses in the country.
The state used special building materials and methods. This helped them build bridges faster and more efficiently. This bridge carried US 7, which was a very important road in western Vermont. It connected towns from north to south. The bridge was used until a new, wider bridge was built to the east. The Cold River Bridge was closed in 1989 because it was getting old and weak. A report in 1994 showed that parts of the bridge were breaking, especially one of its supports. Because of this, it was decided the bridge needed to be taken down. It has since been demolished.
