Martin's Mill Covered Bridge (Hartland, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Martin's Mill Covered Bridge
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 Location in Vermont
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| Location | Martinsville Rd., Hartland, Vermont |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Built by | Tasker, James F. |
| Architectural style | Town lattice truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000213 |
| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1973 |
The Martin's Mill Covered Bridge is a special wooden bridge that crosses Lull's Brook in Hartland, Vermont. It's called a "covered bridge" because it has a roof and walls, just like a house! This bridge was built a long time ago, around 1880. It's one of only two covered bridges from the 1800s still standing in Hartland. Because it's so old and important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's a really important historical landmark!
What Makes This Bridge Special?
The Martin's Mill Covered Bridge is located about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) east of United States Route 5. You'll find it in a quiet, wooded area of southern Hartland. The big highway bridges of Interstate 91 are just to its east.
How the Bridge is Built
This bridge is a single span Town lattice truss. A "truss" is a strong framework that helps the bridge hold weight. The Town lattice design uses many crisscrossing wooden planks, making a pattern like a fence. The bridge rests on strong concrete supports called abutments.
The bridge is about 41.5 meters (136 feet) long. Its ends, called portals, stick out about 1.2 meters (4 feet). The total width of the bridge is about 5.9 meters (19.5 feet). The part where cars drive is about 5 meters (16.5 feet) wide, which is just enough for one lane of traffic.
The outside of the bridge is covered with vertical wooden boards. These boards also wrap a little way inside the entrance openings. The roof of the bridge is made of metal, protecting the wooden structure from rain and snow.
A Bit of History
The Martin's Mill Covered Bridge was built around 1880. The person who built it was James Tasker. He was a very busy bridge builder in Windsor County, Vermont. A historian named R.S. Allen said Tasker built more bridges than almost anyone else in the area!
Tasker often built bridges using a different style called a "kingspost truss." However, the Martin's Mill Covered Bridge uses the more common Town lattice style. This bridge, along with the Willard Covered Bridge, are the only two covered bridges from the 1800s that are still standing in Hartland today. They are important reminders of how people used to build bridges a long time ago.
