Summary
The Middlebury Gorge Concrete Arch Bridge is a historic concrete arch bridge, carrying Vermont Route 125 over the Middlebury River in eastern Middlebury, Vermont. The bridge was built in 1924, and is a well-preserved example of an early concrete bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.[1]
Middlebury Gorge Concrete Arch Bridge | |
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| Location |  VT 125 over the Middlebury River, Middlebury, Vermont |
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| Coordinates | 43°58′12″N 73°5′11″W / 43.97000°N 73.08639°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architectural style | Concrete arch bridge |
| MPS | Metal Truss, Masonry, and Concrete Bridges in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001604[1] |
| Added to NRHP | November 14, 1991 |
Description and history edit
The Middlebury Gorge Concrete Arch Bridge is located in the upland area of eastern Middlebury, carrying Vermont Route 125 across a narrow gorge en route to one of three passes across the Green Mountains in eastern Addison County. The bridge consists of a basically semicircular arch made out of poured reinforced concrete. Its span is 42 feet (13 m), with a total structure length of 49 feet (15 m). It is 34 feet (10 m) in height and has a width of 24 feet (7.3 m), carrying two lanes of traffic. The sides of the bridge are simply decorated, with a beltcourse running along the length of the top, and paneled pilastered pillars at the corners.[2]
The bridge was built in 1924, and is one of the state's few such bridges to predate (and survive) its devastating 1927 floods. The bridge's scenic siting was judged a better setting for a more monumentally appearing arch bridge than the then-common alternative, a metal truss bridge. The bridge was built out of eight separately poured concrete sections, using locally sourced materials. Its principal defect is the loss of one of the corner posts.[2]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b Lauren Stahl (1991). "NRHP nomination for Middlebury Gorge Concrete Arch Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-09-04. with photos from 1991