Maple Street Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maple Street Covered Bridge |
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Bridge in U.S. state of Vermont
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| Carries | Maple Street |
| Crosses | Mill Brook |
| Locale | Fairfax, Vermont |
| Maintained by | Town of Fairfax |
| ID number | VT-06-02 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Covered, Town lattice |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 56.8 ft (17.31 m) |
| Width | 17.3 ft (5.27 m) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| Load limit | 4 tons |
| Clearance above | 9.5 ft (2.90 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Kingsbury and Stone |
| Construction end | 1865 |
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Area | 1 acre (0.4 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000215 |
| Added to NRHP | November 5, 1974 |
The Maple Street Covered Bridge is a historic bridge in Fairfax, Vermont. People also call it the Lower Covered Bridge or the Fairfax Covered Bridge. It carries Maple Street over Mill Brook. This bridge was built in 1865. It is the only old covered bridge left in Fairfax. It is also special because it is one of the few two-lane covered bridges in Vermont. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
About the Maple Street Covered Bridge
The Maple Street Covered Bridge is located in the southern part of Fairfax village. It crosses Mill Brook, which flows into the nearby Lamoille River. The bridge connects the village center to Bellows Free Academy.
Bridge Design and Size
This bridge has a special design called a Town lattice. This means its wooden beams crisscross like a fence. The bridge rests on strong supports made of stone and concrete. It is about 56.5 feet (17.2 m) long. It is also about 20.5 feet (6.2 m) wide. The part where cars drive is about 17.5 feet (5.3 m) wide.
Strong iron rods connect the top parts of the bridge's sides. These rods help keep the bridge stable. The road surface is made of wooden planks. The outside of the bridge is covered with vertical wooden boards. These boards protect the bridge from the weather. They stop short of the roof, letting some light in.
History of the Maple Street Bridge
The Maple Street Covered Bridge was built in 1865. The builders were Kingsbury and Stone. This bridge is the only covered bridge from the 1800s still standing in Fairfax. It is also rare because it has two lanes. Most covered bridges only have one lane. This design was needed for the busy village traffic back then.
A big repair project happened in 1990 and 1991. Jan Lewandoski led this important work. There is a fun mystery about the bridge today. Some people wonder if the bridge is "backwards." In 1927, a big flood washed the bridge off its foundations. No one knows for sure if it was put back in the exact same direction. Some say the east side now faces west, and the west side faces east!
