Quinlan's Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quinlan's Covered Bridge |
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Bridge in U.S. state of Vermont
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| Carries | Automobile |
| Crosses | Lewis Creek |
| Locale | Charlotte, Vermont |
| Maintained by | Town of Charlotte |
| ID number | VT-04-03 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Covered, Burr Arch |
| Material | Wood |
| Total length | 88.1 ft (26.85 m) |
| Width | 13.9 ft (4.24 m) |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| Load limit | 5 tons |
| Clearance above | 10.5 ft (3.20 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | unknown |
| Construction end | 1849 |
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000208 |
| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1974 |
Quinlan's Covered Bridge is a cool old wooden bridge in Charlotte, Vermont. It's also known as the Lower Covered Bridge or Sherman Covered Bridge. This special bridge crosses Lewis Creek on Monkton Road.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it's an important historical site! It's also one of only nine bridges in Vermont from the 1800s that uses a special design called a Burr arch.
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What is Quinlan's Covered Bridge?
Quinlan's Covered Bridge is in a quiet, country part of southeastern Charlotte. It's where Monkton Road meets Lewis Creek Road and Spear Street, right over Lewis Creek.
The bridge is a single-span bridge, meaning it crosses the water in one big jump. It's about 86 feet (26 meters) long and 16.5 feet (5 meters) wide. The part cars drive on is about 13.5 feet (4 meters) wide.
How the Bridge is Built
This bridge uses a special design called a "Burr arch truss." Imagine a strong wooden frame with diagonal pieces and straight up-and-down posts. On top of that, there are two big wooden arches bolted to the frame. This design makes the bridge super strong!
The bridge has a pointed roof, like a house. Its outside walls are covered with vertical wooden boards. These boards even go inside the openings where cars enter and exit. The bridge sits on strong stone foundations that are covered with concrete.
The Bridge's History and Names
No one knows for sure who built Quinlan's Covered Bridge. But it was probably the same person who built the Seguin Covered Bridge upstream.
Why So Many Names?
- Lower Bridge: This name came about because it's located "downstream" from the Seguin (or "Upper") bridge. It was common in Vermont to name bridges this way if several crossed the same river in one town.
- Quinlan: This name comes from a family who owned land nearby.
- Sherman: This name comes from the owner of a sawmill that used to be right next to the bridge.
Keeping the Bridge Strong
In 1949 or 1950, steel beams were added underneath the bridge's deck to make it even stronger. The bridge also had a big repair project in 2013 to keep it safe and sound for many more years!
