Piermont Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Piermont Bridge
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 25 over Connecticut R.at Vermont State line, Piermont, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Built by | New Hampshire Highway Dept.; Boston Bridge Works |
| Architectural style | Pennsylvania through truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000630 |
| Added to NRHP | June 6, 2001 |
The Piermont Bridge is a historic bridge that connects Piermont, New Hampshire and Bradford, Vermont. It carries New Hampshire Route 25 over the Connecticut River. This strong bridge was built in 1928 by the Boston Bridge Works. It is a special type of bridge called a Pennsylvania steel through truss bridge.
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Building the Piermont Bridge
The Piermont Bridge was built after a big flood in 1927. Heavy rains caused the Connecticut River to overflow, washing away many bridges and causing a lot of damage in Vermont. The Piermont Bridge was the longest bridge built to replace those lost in the flood.
Replacing an Older Bridge
The new Piermont Bridge took the place of an older bridge from around 1875. That older bridge was a "Town lattice truss" bridge, which looked like a crisscross pattern. The middle support of the old bridge was knocked down by the flood. You can still see parts of it in the water today!
Stronger Foundations for a New Bridge
The eastern side of the bridge, in New Hampshire, had a concrete support built in 1908. This was quite early for using concrete in bridges. When the new, heavier steel bridge was planned, this old support needed to be made even stronger. Workers added more concrete to the land side of the support, making sure the bridge would be safe and stable.
What Kind of Bridge Is It?
The Piermont Bridge is a "Pennsylvania steel through truss" bridge. This means that cars drive through the main structure of the bridge, which is made of strong steel beams arranged in a special pattern called a truss.
Bridge Dimensions
The bridge has one main section that stretches 352 feet (about 107 meters) over the river. Its total length is almost 355 feet (about 108 meters). The road where cars drive is about 20 feet (6 meters) wide. There's also enough space for tall vehicles, with a clearance of about 14 feet (4.4 meters). The bridge stands about 25 feet (7.6 meters) above the river.
Bridge Supports
The support on the western (Vermont) side of the bridge is made from granite stones. These stones were cut from nearby Fairlee Mountain. The support on the eastern (New Hampshire) side is the older concrete one, which was made stronger for the new bridge.
Bridge Upgrades and Recognition
In 1993, the Piermont Bridge had a big update. A sidewalk was added, and new materials were put down for the road.
The Piermont Bridge is important because of its history and how it was built. In 2001, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes special places in the United States that are worth protecting. The states of New Hampshire and Vermont share ownership of the bridge.
