West Hartford Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Hartford Bridge
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The modern steel girder bridge
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 Location in Vermont
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| Location | Town Hwy. 14 at VT 14 over the White R., Hartford, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architectural style | Parker Through Truss |
| MPS | Metal Truss, Masonry, and Concrete Bridges in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001524 |
| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1992 |
The West Hartford Bridge is a bridge in West Hartford, Vermont. It helps Town Highway 14 cross the White River. This bridge was built in 2006. It replaced an older bridge from 1929. That older bridge was special because it was built after a huge flood in 1927. The 1929 bridge was even listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it was important to history!
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Where is the West Hartford Bridge?
The West Hartford Bridge is in the village of West Hartford. This village stretches along Vermont Route 14. It is a few miles north of White River Junction. White River Junction is a busy town in the area.
Connecting Communities
The bridge connects West Hartford to the village of Quechee. Quechee is located to the south. In the past, the bridge also helped people reach other parts of West Hartford. Many of those areas were washed away by the big flood in 1927. The bridge crosses the river from east to west.
The Historic 1929 Bridge
The bridge that stood here before was built in 1929. It was called a Parker through truss bridge. It was made from strong steel beams. These beams were joined together with rivets. This bridge was very similar to another bridge in Sharon. That bridge is a few miles upriver. Both bridges were built around the same time.
Size of the Old Bridge
The 1929 bridge was about 220 feet (67 meters) long. It was also about 21.3 feet (6.5 meters) wide. Its ends rested on strong concrete supports.
Building After the Great Flood
A huge flood hit Vermont in 1927. It was the worst flood the state had ever seen. This flood washed away all the bridges along the White River. This happened from Rochester all the way downstream. Rochester is in the Green Mountains.
The 1929 West Hartford Bridge was part of a huge building project. The state, federal government, and local towns worked together. They built about 1,600 bridges in just a few years. This was a massive effort to rebuild Vermont after the flood.
