Woodstock, Vermont

West Woodstock Bridge is a historic pin connected Pennsylvania through truss steel bridge located in the village of West Woodstock, Vermont.

Location Added By:

Tom Riley (GoXplr Account)

About This Location

West Woodstock Bridge is a historic steel bridge located in the village of West Woodstock, Vermont. The bridge is known for its rare Pennsylvania through truss design and it was the oldest bridge in the state with this type of design.

The bridge was built in 1900 by The Groton Manufacturing Company of New York. This company constructed two historic bridges in Vermont and is most well-known for the West Woodstock Bridge. The company had initially given the town a discounted price for an already-built structure planned for a different location in New York, but when the first structure was retained by the first municipality at a different location, the company was obliged to build a new structure at a loss. It is thought that the bridge abutments rest on 1789-vintage foundations.

It is a single-span Pennsylvania through truss, an extension of the Pratt truss with more vertical members, and the pins rather than rivets are used to join the components together. It has a length of 174 feet and is supported by abutments made of sandstone. It has a portal height of 14.4 feet, is 16.3 feet wide, and can accommodate two lanes of traffic. Rolling I-beam stringers make up the deck, which has wooden flooring. Bridge components feature understated Victorian design. It spans the Ottauquechee River and carries Mill Road over it.

Due to the bridges age and unique Pennsylvania through truss design, the bridge gained the attention of historians and preservationists. On August 27, 1992, the bridge was honored with being listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Its reference number is 92001038.

It was rehabilitated 2002 with addition of steel through arch. But, unlike some other instances of a load carrying arch, this one was intended to carry the entire load and not just augment the truss. The difference appears to be highlighted by the fact that the truss is a typical green, while the arch is a dull steel gray.

Location Features

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Locations

Address:
Mill Road, Woodstock, Vermont

GPS Coordinates:
43.614306, -72.542972
Directions to location:
Click here for location directions
Directions to parking area:
Click here for parking directions
Parking Notes:
There is space for visitors to pull over on the site of Carlton Hill Road near the eastern entrance of the bridge.

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