Vermont's Covered Bridges, Vermont, Tours, History, Trusses

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Maple Street Bridge Repairs Completed
WGN 45-06-02

Fairfax, February 15, 2002 - With the repairs completed the Maple Street Bridge stands straight and square. Actually straighter than it has for years.
Town historians recall that when the bridge was returned to its abutments after being washed away during the 1927 flood, ". . . it was replaced with its east end facing west. Because of the error, they say, the bridge seems to be leaning." This last, the historian wrote, "is disputed by some."
The north corner of the bridge no longer leans comfortably westward because as part of the repairs to the upper bracing system, the system designed to keep the bridge trusses straight and true against wind and water, the "racking," or lean, was taken out.


The northeast gable-end stands square after repairs to the bridge wind-bracing and knee-braces. If the bridge appears to be leaning in the other photos in this group, blame the photographer and lens distortion. Photo © 2002 Joe Nelson	The southwest gable end. Photo © 2002 Joe Nelson

New tie-beams, cross-braces, kingposts, roofers and rafters stand out in the otherwise time- stained interior. Photo © 2002 Joe Nelson	Repairs to the broken upper chord and truss-web are evident here. The new roofers were needed because the roof had to be removed to allow replacement of the tie-beams. Photo © 2002 Joe Nelson

Maple Street Bridge Repairs Underway

Fairfax, January 23, 2002 - Kayoed when a local truck driver drove into it, the bridge is undergoing major surgery. Most of the roof and siding have been removed to gain access to the damaged frame. The fifty-seven-foot span was built in 1865 using the Town-lattice Truss.
Said Jan Lewendoski, who contracted to do the work, "The tie beams are the bottom chords of kingpost trusses that support the roof. When the truck took out the tie beams it also destroyed the kingposts, some of the mortised ridgepole, and some rafters.. Also, when destroying the tie beams it destroyed several chord and lattice sections adjacent to the ties. To even replace one tie beam authentically it is necessary to remove the roof over it. Chord and lattice replacement requires the siding to be removed."

Maple Street Bridge.
Photo by Joe Nelson January 23, 2002

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Joe Nelson, P.O Box 267, Jericho, VT 05465-0267, jcnelson@together.net