Kidder Covered Bridge facts for kids
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Kidder Covered Bridge
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kidder Hill Road, Grafton, Vermont |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Queenpost through truss |
| Part of | Grafton Village Historic District (ID10000171) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000205 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1973 |
| Designated CP | April 7, 2010 |
The Kidder Covered Bridge is a cool old bridge in Grafton, Vermont. It carries Kidder Hill Road over the South Branch Saxtons River. This bridge was built around 1870. It's the last covered bridge from the 1800s left in Grafton. It's also the shortest historic covered bridge in Windham County. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Exploring the Kidder Covered Bridge
The Kidder Covered Bridge is located about half a kilometer south of Grafton Village. You can find it on Kidder Hill Road. It's a single-span bridge, which means it crosses the river in one big section.
What Does the Bridge Look Like?
The bridge is about 20 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. The part you drive on is about 3.6 meters wide. It sits on strong stone supports that have been made even stronger with concrete.
The bridge isn't perfectly straight across the river. It's built at a slight angle, about 15 degrees off a perfect rectangle. The outside walls are made of vertical wooden boards. A metal roof covers the top, protecting the bridge from weather. The wooden siding also covers the entrances and the triangular parts at the ends.
A Bit of Bridge History
The original Kidder Covered Bridge was built around 1870. It was the last bridge from the 19th century in Grafton. This bridge is special because it uses a design called a "queenspost truss." This is a type of strong wooden frame. It's the only bridge of its kind in Windham County.
It's also one of only a few covered bridges in Vermont built at an angle. This makes it quite unique! The bridge was rebuilt in 1995, but it still looks like the original old wooden covered bridge.
