Fisher Covered Railroad Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fisher Covered Railroad Bridge
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View of the bridge looking west, from the north side
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Southeast of Wolcott, over the Lamoille River S of VT 15, Wolcott, Vermont |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architectural style | Double Town lattice truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000222 |
| Added to NRHP | October 1, 1974 |
The Fisher Covered Railroad Bridge is a special kind of bridge in Wolcott, Vermont. It's a covered bridge, which means it has a roof and sides, just like a house! This bridge was built in 1908. It used to carry trains for the St. Johnsbury and Lamoille County Railroad over the Lamoille River.
It's now closed, but it was the very last covered bridge in Vermont to have trains cross it. It's also a rare example of a "double Town lattice truss" design. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Contents
About the Fisher Covered Bridge
The Fisher Covered Railroad Bridge is located in a quiet, rural area. It's southeast of the main village of Wolcott. The bridge crosses the Lamoille River and is easy to find from a small parking area nearby.
This bridge is made of two main sections. It uses a special design called a "doubled Town lattice truss." This design uses many crisscrossing wooden beams to make the bridge strong.
Bridge Dimensions and Features
The bridge is quite long, measuring about 103.5 feet (31.5 m) in total. It is also 20.5 feet (6.2 m) wide. The part where the train tracks used to be is about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide.
The bridge sits on strong stone supports that have concrete caps. It has a unique roof with a raised section in the middle, called a "monitor roof." The outside of the bridge is covered with vertical wooden boards. These boards go almost all the way up to the roof, leaving a small open space at the top.
A Look Inside the Bridge
Inside, the bridge once had train tracks. Today, the main floor of the bridge has a strong steel structure underneath. This means the wooden crisscross beams (the trusses) mostly support the roof and sides, not the weight of the trains.
History of the Bridge
The Fisher Covered Railroad Bridge was built in 1908. When it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, it was the only covered bridge in Vermont still used by trains.
Who Built the Bridge?
The Boston and Maine Railroad built this bridge. They owned the St. Johnsbury and Lamoille County Railroad line at the time.
Saving the Bridge
In 1968, there was a plan to tear down the bridge and replace it with a new steel bridge. But people wanted to save this historic covered bridge! So, a new support was built under the bridge. Also, four strong steel beams were put in place to help hold up the bridge's weight. This helped save the bridge from being taken down.
