Hyde Kingsbury Covered Bridge, Randolph Vermont
- Categories:
- Vermont
- Covered Bridges
- Multiple Kingpost Truss
The Kingsbury Covered Bridge marks the end of the historic
period of covered wood bridge construction on public highways
in Vermont, which began about 1820. The bridge was built in
1904; only one other bridge of that type and purpose, the
The lower cost of wood construction compared with that of iron or steel probably accounted for its extraordinarily late use in the Kingsbury bridge, which carries only a lightly traveled rural road. The bridge is one of three covered bridges remaining in the town of Randolph.
Bridge Description
The Kingsbury Covered Bridge consists of a single span supported by two flanking timber multiple kingpost trusses. The bridge rests on abutments built of irregular stone laid dry in alternating courses of headers and stretchers. Structurally, the bridge has not been altered from its original design.
The Kingsbury bridge is 51 feet long overall and 18 feet wide, with a 15.5-foot roadway. The wood floor consists of planks laid flat and perpendicular to the trusses, overlaid transversely with two strips of planks for driving surfaces.
On the exterior, the timbers bolted together to form the trusses (and side walls) of the bridge are sheathed with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. Similar siding protects the ends of the trusses immediately inside the portals. There are no windows or openings in the side walls.
The gable ends are also sheathed with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. The portal openings are framed with semi-elliptical arches. The shallow-pitch gable roof is covered with standing seam metal sheeting.
