|
Caledonia
County, Vermont
(WGN 45-03-03)
(WGCB VT-03-03): (1879; 1959 Restored; 1971 restored)
A single-span Queenpost truss 42' over the South Wheelock Branch of the
Passumpsic River. Located: On the North edge of Lyndon, Vermont
off Wheelock Road. Directions: 0.2 mile south of jct.
I-91 at exit 23 on US 5 then left on South Wheelock Road 0.1 mile to the
bridge. The first bridge at the crossing was constructed in 1871-72
and served a new, brick schoolhouse but was not a covered bridge.
One of only two covered bridges in Vermont with completely enclosed trusses.
It originally had two covered walkways but now has only one. There
is no record of when or why the walkway was removed. In 1931 John
B. Chase, editor of the Vermont Union Journal wrote: "The bridge
had its hardest test in the 1927 flood when it was tipped up till the chances
looked about 100 to 1 that it was going out, but it withstood the onslaught
of the rushing water and debris piled against it. As the water went
down, the bridge gradually settled back into place, with little, if any,
damage." It was restored in 1959, when the portals were changed from a
full radius cut to a square cut. In 1971, when Interstate 91 was
built, the road that passed over the bridge was relocated, bypassing the
structure. Also, an acre of land was donated, by a local business, to create
a green around the bridge. At the same time, the bridge was again restored
and the portals received a radius-cut in the upper corners of the entrances.
The Structure sets on poured concrete pads positioned under each truss
on dry stone abutments. Dark weathered vertical boarding covers the
upstream side and gray weathered vertical boarding covers the outer side
of the walkway to rail height. The portals and the interior are painted
white. Also known as the
Chase Covered Bridge and the Schoolhouse
Road Covered Bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places on March 31, 1971. (Sep 2003) |
