Swanton Covered Railroad Bridge
Description and history
The former St. Johnsbury and Lamoille Railroad right of way runs generally easterly from the north-south main line of the Central Vermont Railroad, which runs roughly parallel to the west bank of the north-flowing Missisquoi River west of Swanton village. The covered bridge that stood at this site comprised three spans, with a total length of 369 feet (112 m), set on stone abutments and piers. The bridge was a distinctive combination of Pratt and Town trusses, and had a massive interlaced wooden deck system. Its exterior was finished in vertical board siding.
The bridge was built in 1895. The railroad did not use the bridge after 1967 due to increased train weight, bypassing this section of the line by using the Central Vermont Richford subdivision to bring trains to St. Albans. In 1973 the bridge was listed on the National Register; it had been out of service and was in deteriorating condition. It was destroyed by an arson fire in 1987 The bridge site has since been replaced the trusses of the former West Milton Bridge, and now serves as part of a multi-use trail.
See also
- Transport portal
- Engineering portal
- National Register of Historic Places portal
- List of covered bridges in Vermont
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Vermont
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Chester Liebs (1973). "NRHP nomination for Swanton Covered Railroad Bridge". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-11-24. with photos from 1973
- ^ "Swanton Historical Society: An Outline of Swanton's History". www.swantonhistoricalsociety.org.