Montgomery Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montgomery Covered Bridge |
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| Carries | Automobile |
| Crosses | North Branch of Lamoille River |
| Locale | Waterville, Vermont |
| Maintained by | Town of Waterville |
| ID number | VT-08-14 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Covered, Town lattice |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 70 ft 3.75 in (21.43 m) |
| Width | 12 ft 5.25 in (3.79 m) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| Clearance above | 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1887 |
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000228 |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1974 |
The Montgomery Covered Bridge is a cool old wooden bridge in Waterville, Vermont. It crosses the North Branch of the Lamoille River. This bridge was built way back in 1887. It's special because it's one of three covered bridges right in Waterville! It's also one of five covered bridges along a short stretch of the Lamoille River. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
What's in a Name?
The Montgomery Covered Bridge has a few different names. Sometimes it's called the Lower Covered Bridge. However, this can be a bit confusing.
It's often known as the Middle Covered Bridge. This is because it sits between two other covered bridges. The Jaynes Covered Bridge is the Upper bridge. The Village Covered Bridge is the Lower bridge. All three bridges cross the same river!
Bridge Design and Features
The Montgomery Covered Bridge is in a quiet, rural area. It's just north of Waterville's town center. You can find it on Montgomery Road, a short distance from Vermont Route 109.
This bridge is 70.5 feet (21.5 m) long. It is 15 feet (4.6 m) wide, but the part cars drive on is 12 feet (3.7 m) wide. This means it's a single-lane bridge. The bridge has a special design called a Queen post truss. This is a type of frame that helps support the bridge.
The bridge has a metal roof to protect it from the weather. Its outside walls are made of vertical wooden boards. These boards also cover the inside of the bridge's entrances. The bridge deck, where cars drive, is made of wood planks. These planks now rest on strong steel beams. This means the original wooden frame doesn't carry the main weight anymore.
A Look Back in Time
This bridge was built around the late 1870s or early 1880s. We don't know who the original builder was. It's one of five covered bridges over the North Branch Lamoille River. This makes the area between Waterville and Belvidere unique. It has a lot of these historic bridges.
In 1969, a big snowstorm hit. About 5 feet (2 m) of snow piled up on the roof. This made the bridge lean to one side. A local farmer, Dallas Montgomery, helped clear some snow. The bridge is now named after him! Another local, Wilmer Locke, used a winch to straighten the bridge. He also added extra supports.
In 1971, an asphalt truck had an accident. It went through the bridge deck and into the river. Luckily, the driver was mostly okay. After this, the bridge was made stronger with steel beams. More big repairs were done in 1997 to keep the bridge safe.
