Northfield Falls Covered Bridge

Summary

The Northfield Falls Covered Bridge, also called the Station Covered Bridge,[2] is a wooden covered bridge that carries Cox Brook Road across the Dog River in Northfield, Vermont. Built in 1872, this Town lattice truss bridge is one of five surviving covered bridges in the town, and one of two that are visible from each other (the other is the Lower Cox Brook Covered Bridge). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[1]

Northfield Falls Covered Bridge
Bridge in U.S. state of Vermont
Coordinates44°10′23″N 72°39′04″W / 44.173°N 72.651°W / 44.173; -72.651
CarriesCox Brook Road
CrossesDog River
LocaleNorthfield, Vermont
Maintained byTown of Northfield
ID numberVT-12-08
Characteristics
DesignCovered, town lattice
MaterialWood
Total length136.75 ft (41.68 m)
Width16.1 ft (4.91 m)
No. of spans1
Clearance above12 ft (3.66 m)
History
Constructed byunknown
Construction end1872 (1872)
Northfield Falls Covered Bridge is located in Vermont
Northfield Falls Covered Bridge
Northfield Falls Covered Bridge is located in the United States
Northfield Falls Covered Bridge
Coordinates44°10′21″N 72°39′04″W / 44.17250°N 72.65111°W / 44.17250; -72.65111
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
NRHP reference No.74000263[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 13, 1974

Description and history edit

The Northfield Falls Covered Bridge is located in the village of Northfield Falls of northern Northfield, a short way west of Vermont Route 12 on Cox Brook Road. It spans the Dog River in an east–west orientation, and is located just a few hundred feet east of the Lower Cox Brook Covered Bridge, which spans the eponymous brook. It is a single-span Town lattice truss, which has been reinforced by the introduction of a central pier. It is 137 feet (42 m) long and 19.5 feet (5.9 m) wide, with a roadway width of 16 feet (4.9 m) (one lane). It is covered by a metal gabled roof, and its exterior is sheathed in vertical board siding. The siding extends around a short way inside the portals to shelter the ends of the trusses, and extends upward only partway to the roof eave, leaving an open strip between them. The bridge rests on stone abutments faced in concrete.[3]

The bridge was built in 1872; its designed is unknown. It is one of five surviving bridges in the community, three of which are found on Cox Brook Road in the span of 0.25 miles (0.40 km).[3] In 1963 the bridge deck was strengthened by the addition of 4 steel I-beams underneath, and the unmortared stone abutments were faced with concrete.[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Northfield Falls Covered Bridge
  3. ^ a b Hugh Henry (1974). "NRHP nomination for Northfield Falls Covered Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-11-05. with photos from 1974
  4. ^ Evans, Benjamin and June. New England's Covered Bridges. University Press of New England, 2004. ISBN 1-58465-320-5.