Sanderson Covered Bridge - Brandon, Vermont

The Sanderson Covered Bridge is located on Pearl Street in Brandon, Vermont and is the second covered bridge to be located at this location. The bridge was named for the Sanderson family, who has been in ownership of a nearby family farm since 1825. The current covered bridge was built in a Town lattice truss design by builders Blow and Cote of Morrisville, Vermont in 2003 at a cost of $830,000. The modern day bridge spans 121 feet over the Otter Creek and is the only covered bridge that remains within the Town of Brandon.

The original covered bridge was built in 1838. While it has been rumored by some historians that famed covered bridge builder Nicholas Powers built the first Sanderson Covered Bridge, the true builder of the bridge is unknown. In 1989, the bridge had been closed to traffic and a temporary steel bridge was placed alongside the covered bridge. Due to the high cost of an archeological survey that was required before a permanent bridge could be constructed, it was decided to dismantle the original covered bridge and rebuild the bridge using new materials. However, the new bridge does contain a few truss lattice members, chord members and roof beams that were salvaged from the original bridge.

Today, the Sanderson Covered Bridge takes up a quiet slice of countryside just southwest of the village center of Brandon. Fans of the opera will find the Barn Opera located near the covered bridge. Others will find the covered bridge is part of a nice drive through rural portions of Rutland County, Vermont.

How to Get There:

Sources and Links:
Vermont Covered Bridge Society - Sanderson Covered Bridge (Replacement)
Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce - Covered Bridge Tour Southern Route
Bridgehunter.com - Sanderson Covered Bridge 45-11-02 #2

The Travels of Tug 44 - Sanderson Covered Bridge
Vermont Covered Bridge Society - Sanderson Covered Bridge Repairs - 2002/2003

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