Museum Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Museum Covered Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 44°22′37.17″N 73°13′47.35″W / 44.3769917°N 73.2298194°W |
| Carries | Pedestrian |
| Crosses | Man-made pond |
| Locale | Shelburne, Vermont |
| Maintained by | The Shelburne Museum |
| ID number | VT-04-06 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Covered, Burr arch |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 168 ft (51 m) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| History | |
| Constructed by | George W. Holmes |
| Construction end | 1845 |
The Museum Covered Bridge is a historic wooden bridge built in 1845. It first stood over the Lamoille River in Cambridge, Vermont. This bridge was quite impressive for its time. It measured 168 feet (51 m) long and had two lanes for vehicles. A special footpath was added later. It shows how skilled engineers and builders were in the 1800s. The bridge was lit at night by kerosene lamps.
In 1927, a big flood caused the water to rise 7 feet (2.1 m) above the bridge's floor. Before the bridge was built, a ferry helped people cross the river. The bridge replaced this ferry, connecting two parts of Cambridge.
In the late 1940s, Electra Havemeyer Webb, who founded the Shelburne Museum, wanted to save important pieces of early American life. She asked for help to find an old bridge to preserve. When she learned that this "Big Bridge" was going to be replaced, she decided it was perfect for the museum.
The museum carefully took the bridge apart in 1949. They moved it piece by piece to the museum grounds. Each beam still has numbers on it to help put it back together correctly. The bridge was rebuilt over a man-made pond. This made it a beautiful part of the museum's landscape. For many years, the Covered Bridge was the main entrance to the museum. However, too much car traffic started to wear it down. So, the museum moved its entrance and the bridge became a special exhibit instead.
Why Bridges Were Covered
Many people think of covered bridges when they imagine New England. But the very first covered bridges in the United States were actually built in Pennsylvania. An artist and inventor named Charles Willson Peale got the first patent for a covered bridge in 1797. His idea was never built, but seven years later, the city of Philadelphia decided to build the first covered bridge across the Schuylkill River. It was covered almost by accident, after someone suggested adding a roof.
Covering a bridge was a smart idea. It protected the wooden structure from bad weather like rain and snow. This helped the bridge last much longer. The covering also made the bridge stronger and more stable. Another benefit was that it kept farm animals calm. They wouldn't get scared by seeing the water below as they crossed.
The Burr Arch Design
In 1804, an inventor from Connecticut named Theodore Burr created a new bridge design. He called it an arch truss bridge, or a king-post arch design. He received a patent for it in 1817. The Museum Covered Bridge is a great example of Burr's clever engineering.
Inventors earned money based on how long their patented bridges were. This encouraged them to find ways to build longer bridges. The common king-post design could only stretch so far. Burr's design added a single arched timber that was bolted to the king-post supports. This made the bridge so much stronger. The king-post trusses became secondary supports, and the bridge could reach much farther than before.
