Quinlan's Covered Bridge, East Charlotte Vermont
- Categories:
- Vermont
- Covered Bridges
- Burr Arch
Quinlan's Covered Bridge is an outstanding example as one of the nine covered wood bridges remaining in Vermont which are supported by Burr arch trusses. The bridge has been given careful maintenance, sympathetic to its original fabric. One of three covered bridges remaining in the town of Charlotte, Quinlan's Bridge stands within the extraordinarily scenic agricultural valley of Lewis Creek.
The covered bridges of Vermont are among its most cherished and symbolic historic resources. About one hundred of the bridges still stand in the state, the highest concentration by area of covered bridges in the United States.
Bridge Description
Quinlan's Covered Bridge consists of a single span supported by two flanking timber Burr arch trusses. Each truss incorporates an arch built of two parallel arcs of single timbers, one mounted on each side of the diagonal braces and vertical posts, and bolted together through the posts. A central laminated stringer has been added to the underside of the deck beams parallel to the trusses for reinforcement; it comprises a number of shorter timbers tie-bolted together. The structure rests on abutments built of irregular stone laid dry. The east abutment has been faced, and the west abutment capped, with concrete.
Quinlan's Bridge is 86 feet long at floor level. The ends of the side walls flare outward to meet the gable ends which overhang the floor three feet at each portal. The bridge is 16.5 feet wide and has a 13.5-foot roadway. The wood floor consists of planks laid on edge and parallel to the trusses.
On the exterior, the timbers pegged and bolted together to form the trusses (and side walls) of the bridge are sheathed with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. Unpainted flush boards hung horizontally protect the ends of the trusses immediately inside the portals. The siding stops short of the eaves to leave strip openings along the tops of the walls. Near each corner of the bridge, there is a large rectangular window in the upper wall. The gable ends are also sheathed with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. The portal openings are rectangular. The shallow-pitch gable roof is covered with corrugated metal sheeting.
South elevation and west portal (1974)
