Bowers Covered Bridge, Windsor Vermont
- Categories:
- Vermont
- Covered Bridges
- Tied Arch Truss
One of two similar covered bridges remaining in the town of West Windsor, the Bowers bridge has an unusual structure for covered bridges in Vermont. Low simple arches of laminated planks carry the deck of the bridge; the post-and-beam shed above them simply stands on the deck. There are only two other examples of this type in the state.
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. Many of these bridges are integral parts of unique architectural environments whose physical setting and cultural context have been little altered until recently.
Bridge Description
Bowers Covered Bridge consists of a single span supported by two flanking arches of laminated planks. Each arch is made of five layers bolted together. Iron suspension rods through the arches, complemented by enclosed wood uprights, support the principal floor stringers. The abutments are built of stone slabs without mortar. The bridge is 45 feet long and 15 feet wide, with a 12.5-foot roadway.
A shed (cover) of post-and-beam construction stands on the arch span, protecting its wood members from weathering. On the exterior, the side walls and gable ends are sheathed with flush boards hung vertically. There are no windows or openings in the siding. The roof is covered with corrugated metal sheeting painted green.
Looking north (1973)
