Orne Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Orne Covered Bridge
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Back Coventry Rd. s of Coventry village, Irasburg, Vermont |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Architectural style | Paddleford truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000328 |
| Added to NRHP | November 20, 1974 |
The Orne Covered Bridge is a special bridge in Irasburg, Vermont. It looks like an old-fashioned bridge, but it was actually built quite recently in the year 2000. This bridge is a copy of an older, historic bridge that used to stand in the same spot. That original bridge was sadly destroyed by fire in 1997.
The first Orne Covered Bridge was so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
About the Orne Covered Bridge
The Orne Covered Bridge is located in northern Irasburg, Vermont. It's just south of a small village called Coventry. The bridge crosses over the Black River.
Here are some facts about the bridge:
- It is a single-span bridge, meaning it crosses the river in one long section.
- It uses a special design called a Paddleford truss. This is a way of arranging wooden beams to make the bridge strong.
- The bridge is about 87 feet (26.5 meters) long.
- It is about 17 feet (5.2 meters) wide.
- The part where cars drive is about 14 feet (4.3 meters) wide, which is enough for one lane of traffic.
- It has a metal roof shaped like a gable (a triangle).
- The sides of the bridge are covered with vertical wooden boards. These boards also go inside the openings where cars enter and exit.
- The roof extends about 3 feet (0.9 meters) past the sides of the bridge, helping to protect it.
- The road surface inside the bridge is made of wooden planks.
History of the Bridge
It's a bit of a mystery exactly when the original Orne Covered Bridge was built. Some records say it was built in 1879, while others say 1881. We also don't know for sure who built it. Some people think it was E.P. Colton, and others believe it was John Colton.
When the historic bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, it was very special. It hadn't been changed much over the years. It was also the only Paddleford truss bridge still standing on a public road in Vermont.
Sadly, the original bridge was burned down in 1997. But a new bridge, the one you see today, was finished in 2000. It was built to look just like the historic one.
