Scott Covered Bridge, Townshend Vermont

Date added: June 30, 2024

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The Scott Covered Bridge is the longest covered wooden highway bridge wholly within the state of Vermont. The easternmost span of 166 feet supported by Town lattice trusses is the longest single covered wooden span in the state. The Scott bridge holds special interest for being a combination of three structural systems; Town lattice truss, laminated plank arch, and kingpost through truss.

The Scott bridge has withstood several major floods that destroyed most of the other covered bridges in the West River valley. A large flood-control dam has been constructed about one-half mile upstream of the bridge, and although it detracts considerably from the scenic environment of the structure, it should spare the bridge from destruction by future floods.

In 1955 the Town of Townshend deeded the Scott Bridge to the Vermont Historic Sites Commission (now the Division of Historic Sites). The Division has undertaken a program of repair and maintenance of the bridge, with the intent of preserving it as an extraordinary example of Vermont bridge engineering and architecture of the 19^th century.

Bridge Description

The Scott Covered Bridge consists of three spans, totaling 277 feet in length. The main (easterly) span is supported by two flanking timber Town lattice trusses, reinforced by wood laminated plank arches; the two lesser (westerly) spans are supported by kingpost through trusses. Between the abutments, the spans rest on two piers, with the Town lattice span extending 166 feet to the easterly pier and the kingpost spans extending from that pier 111 feet over the westerly pier. The kingpost spans are of unequal length; the easterly (abutting the Town lattice span) is 46 feet long, while the westerly is 65 feet long. The bridge is 20 feet wide, with a roadway of 16 feet.

Constructed in 1870, the Scott bridge was originally covered only over the main lattice truss span. The kingpost section remained open for only three years. The arches which reinforce the main span were also added after the completion of the original structure. Each arch consists of 12 layers of lapped laminated planks.

The abutments and piers of the bridge are constructed of stone blocks without mortar. In 1915 concrete facing was applied to the upstream parts of the piers. In 1961 a temporary bent of steel beams supported by log cribbing was built under the center of the main span for reinforcement. This followed the partial collapse into reverse camber of the southern arch near its eastern end, caused by heavy truck traffic. Two guy cables have been strung from the northeastern corner of the bridge to the eastern river bank to give lateral support to the superstructure.

On the exterior, the large planks pegged together diagonally to form the trusses (and side walls) of the main span are sheathed with flush boards hung vertically as are the sides of the kingpost spans. There are no windows or openings in the sides of the bridge because they were recently eliminated when the siding was replaced. The gable ends of the bridge are flat and sheathed with vertical flush boards. None of the wooden siding is painted. The roof of the bridge, which was originally shingled in wood, has been covered with corrugated metal sheeting and painted green.