Middle Covered Bridge - Woodstock, Vermont

The Middle Covered Bridge spans over the Ottaquechee River as the centerpiece bridge of Woodstock, Vermont, just a stone's throw away from the downtown business district. Built in 1969 by Milton S. Graton and his sons (now Arnold M. Graton Associates), the 181 foot long covered bridge was designed in a Town lattice through truss design and replaced an iron truss bridge called the Middle Bridge that had been rendered obsolete.

The Middle Covered Bridge is the first public covered bridge built in the State of Vermont since 1889. Builder Milton Graton constructed this masterpiece near the crossing, then in July 1969, it was pulled across the river by a team of oxen named Ben and Jo. The covered bridge was built using traditional methods and materials down to the wooden pegs in lieu of nails. Details of the construction of the Middle Covered Bridge can also be found in a book written entitled The Last of the Covered Bridge Builders by covered bridge builder Milton Graton.

The covered bridge was burned by arsonists on May 11, 1974. Fortunately, Milton Graton came to the rescue and was able to restore the covered bridge. Today, the bridge can be enjoyed by drivers and pedestrians alike, especially with its separate portals for pedestrian traffic. Visitors to the bridge will notice that while most of the bridge has a stained wood look, the north entrance to the bridge has been painted a white or light gray color. The covered bridge has a nice view in the background of Mount Tom, which was once a ski area. When I visited the Middle Covered Bridge during a snowy New England day, I definitely got the classic vibes of the Vermont of yore. I think it blends perfectly with its surroundings.

South entrance of the Middle Covered Bridge.

An icy, snowy Ottaquechee River, apparently with ice thick enough to run tracks along the river.

Bridge plaque.

Inside the covered bridge. The open Town lattice design allows the light to come into the bridge.

A parting shot of the Middle Covered Bridge.

How to Get There:

Sources and Links:
The Travels of Tug 44 - Middle Covered Bridge
Bridgehunter.com - Middle Covered Bridge 45-14-15
Vermont Covered Bridge Society - Middle Covered Bridge
Woodstock, Vermont - 4 covered bridges that epitomize Vermont charm: A visual tour

Comments

Interstate 40's Tumultuous Ride Through the Pigeon River Gorge

In the nearly 60 years Interstate 40 has been open to traffic through the Pigeon River Gorge in the mountains of Western North Carolina, it has been troubled by frequent rockslides and damaging flooding, which has seen the over 30-mile stretch through North Carolina and Tennessee closed for months at a time. Most recently, excessive rainfall from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 saw sections of Interstate 40 wash away into a raging Pigeon River. While the physical troubles of Interstate 40 are well known, how I-40 came to be through the area is a tale of its own. Interstate 40 West through Haywood County near mile marker 10. I-40's route through the Pigeon River Gorge dates to local political squabbles in the 1940s and a state highway law written in 1921. A small note appeared in the July 28, 1945, Asheville Times. It read that the North Carolina State Highway Commission had authorized a feasibility study of a "...water-level road down [the] Pigeon River to the Tennessee l...

Massena Center Suspension Bridge

The Massena Center Bridge, also known as the Holton D. Robinson Bridge, has had quite the tumultuous history. Situated on the Grasse River just east of Massena, New York in the hamlet of Massena Center, the Massena Center Bridge is a reminder of the efforts the community has made in order to connect over the river. The first and only other known bridge to be built at Massena Center was built in 1832, but that bridge was never long for this world. During the spring of 1833, the Grasse River dammed itself due to an ice dam, flooded and lifted the bridge off its foundation, destroying the bridge in the process. The floods were frequent in the river during the spring, often backing up the river from Hogansburg and past Massena Center, but not to nearby Massena. After the first bridge disappeared, local residents had to resort to traveling seven miles west to Massena to cross the next closest bridge, and that was no easy task for a horse and buggy. However, it was many decades befo...

The Dead Man's Curve of Interstate 90 and Innerbelt Freeway in Cleveland

"Dead Man's Curve" refers to the transition ramp Interstate 90 takes between Cleveland Memorial Shoreway onto the Innerbelt Freeway in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Said curve includes a sharp transition between the two freeways which is known for a high rate of accidents. Currently the curve (not officially named) has a 35 MPH advisory speed and numerous safety features intended to mitigate crashes. When the Interstate System was first conceived during 1956, Interstate 90 was intended to use the entirety Cleveland Memorial Shoreway and connect to the Northwest Freeway through Lakewood. The Innerbelt Freeway was initially planned as the northernmost segment of Interstate 71. The extension of Cleveland Memorial Shoreway west of Edgewater Park was never constructed which led to Interstate 90 being routed through the Innerbelt Freeway. Part 1; the history of Cleveland's Innerbelt Freeway and Deadman's Curve The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 was signe...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog