Henry Covered Bridge, Bennington Vermont
- Categories:
- Vermont
- Covered Bridges
- Town Lattice Truss
Perhaps the oldest covered bridge in Bennington County, the Henry Bridge probably dates from the decade 1830-40. After 1866, in an attempt to strengthen the bridge for heavy wagon loads of iron ore mined in the vicinity, two layers of lattice trusses were added to the original trusses. This added little more than weight to the bridge, however, and during the 20th century the extra trusses were removed. The Henry Bridge and two other surviving covered bridges in Bennington township cross the same river within two miles of one another. Together they constitute an important resource of transport and engineering history in an area that possesses outstanding examples of other types of historic resources.
The covered bridges of Vermont are among its most cherished and symbolic historic resources. About one hundred bridges still stand in the state, the greatest concentration by area of covered bridges in the country.
Bridge Description
The Henry Covered Bridge is a single span supported by two flanking timber Town lattice trusses. Diagonal iron sway braces have been added to the underside of the floor for reinforcement. The ends of the bridge rest on abutments that have been rebuilt in concrete. The bridge is 121 feet long and 18.5 feet wide, with a 15-foot roadway.
On the exterior, the large planks pegged together diagonally to form the trusses (and side walls) of the bridge are sheathed with novelty siding hung horizontally. The ends of the trusses immediately inside the portals are sheathed with flush vertical boards. The gables are sheathed with flush boards hung horizontally. The exterior siding is painted dark red; the siding inside the portals is painted white to increase visibility.
Beginning eight feet from each end of the bridge, the horizontal siding reaches only five feet above the floor, leaving the upper sides of the trusses exposed. The overhang of the roof protects the open trusswork. The roof is covered with wood shingles.
Looking northwest (1973)
