You Can Cross Over 20 Different Covered Bridges Along This Scenic Route In Vermont
For anyone who enjoys a leisurely drive with plenty of places to stop along the way, the Connecticut River Byway is for you. This 500 mile byway is nestled between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It travels from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border, and you’ll pass some wonderful vistas, historic towns and more than a few covered bridges along the way. Let’s take a look at some of the covered bridges on this scenic route in VT.
The Schoolhouse Bridge in Lyndon was built in 1879 with special design features for the local school children. It originally had walkways on both sides and also has the trusses boarded up on the inside of the bridge as well as outside. This was likely done as a safety feature to prevent the kids from climbing on the trusses.
This impressive structure was built in 1866 and spans the Connecticut River. It connects Windsor, VT and Cornish, NH, and is known as either the Cornish-Windsor or Windsor-Cornish Bridge. The order given depends on which side of the river you're on.
This 127 foot long Town Lattice Truss bridge is picture perfect. It was built in 1839 and crosses the Ompompanoosuc River in Thetford Center.
One interesting feature about old bridges such as this one is how they start to show their age. You can see how the walls of the entrances on the Martin’s Mill Bridge are no longer parallel.
Be sure to venture off the bywa for even more exploring. The Salmond Covered Bridge was built around 1880 by one of the area's best known builders, James Tasker. It was removed from its original location in 1959 and was almost lost. Thankfully it was restored in 1986 and then the bridge was moved where it stands on a very quiet dirt road. Directions: go to Weatherford and head "Thataway."
Interestingly, this bridge is know as either the Downers or Upper Falls. It was originally built in 1840 and received a beautiful restoration in 2007/2008. It looks almost new again!
This bridge was built around 1868 by Sanford Granger, a local master builder. It was one of seventeen 19th-century bridges once located in Rockingham. Today it is one of only two that remain. The bridge includes one rare feature: a wooden ramp leading up to the northwest entrance.
The Mount Orne Covered Bridge was built in 1911 by the Berlin Construction Company. It replaced one that was washed away by flooding in 1905, and is one of only two Howe truss bridges over the Connecticut River.
As you travel along the covered bridges on this scenic route in VT, be sure to stop in Bellows Falls. This little town is full of history and well worth exploring!
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