Pine Brook Covered Bridge

Summary

The Pine Brook Covered Bridge, also called the Wilder Covered Bridge,[2] is a wooden covered bridge that crosses Pine Brook in Waitsfield, Vermont on North Road. Built in 1872, it is one two surviving 19th-century covered bridges in the town. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[1]

Pine Brook Covered Bridge
Bridge in U.S. state of Vermont
Coordinates44°12′22″N 72°47′31″W / 44.206°N 72.792°W / 44.206; -72.792
CarriesNorth Road
CrossesPine Brook
LocaleWaitsfield, Vermont
Maintained byTown of Waitsfield
ID numberVT-12-12
Characteristics
DesignCovered, King post
MaterialWood
Total length48.5 ft (14.78 m)
Width14.1 ft (4.30 m)
No. of spans1
Load limit5 tons
Clearance above8.75 ft (2.67 m)
History
Constructed byunknown
Construction end1872 (1872)
Pine Brook Covered Bridge is located in Vermont
Pine Brook Covered Bridge
Pine Brook Covered Bridge is located in the United States
Pine Brook Covered Bridge
Coordinates44°12′21″N 72°47′31″W / 44.20583°N 72.79194°W / 44.20583; -72.79194
Area1 acre (0.4 ha)
Part ofMad River Valley Rural Historic District (ID94000836)
NRHP reference No.74000264[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJune 13, 1974
Designated CPAugust 5, 1994

Description and history edit

The Pine Brook Bridge stands in a rural area of northern Waitsfield, carrying North Road, a principal road in the area, across Pine Brook, a tributary of the Mad River to the west. It consists of two king post trusses, and is 48 feet (15 m) long and 17.5 feet (5.3 m) wide, with a roadway width of 14.5 feet (4.4 m) (one lane). It rests on stone abutments faced in concrete, and its wooden bridge deck is supported by steel I-beams. Its exterior is clad in vertical board siding, which extends a short way inside the portals. The roof is standing seam metal.[3]

The bridge was built in 1872. It is one of only two historic covered bridges (the other being the Stony Brook Covered Bridge) left in the state with the king post design, and one of only two in the town (the other being the Great Eddy Covered Bridge). In 1976 repairs were made to the then dilapidating structure. Concrete caps were added to the abutments and steel I-beams were added just below the deck, so that only an overload condition would require the additional support of the beams. The trusses also received attention. In 1989 the deck was replaced.[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: Pine Brook Covered Bridge
  3. ^ Henry, Hugh (1974). "NRHP nomination for Pine Brook Covered Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved November 9, 2016. with photos from 1974
  4. ^ Evans, Benjamin; Evans, June (2004). New England's Covered Bridges. University Press of New England. ISBN 1-58465-320-5.

External links edit

  • Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. VT-37, "Pine Brook Bridge, Spanning Pine Brook on Town Highway 3, Fayston, Washington County, VT", 8 photos, 7 measured drawings, 12 data pages, 1 photo caption page