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By Terry Shaw Joe Nelson and I attended our second VANPO Non Profit Visibility Day at the Vermont Statehouse on February 23rd. We arrived at 8:00 AM and shared coffee and pastries with several legislators and other VANPO members. At 9:00 AM we joined others and Governor Jim Douglas to recognize winners of the 2004 Vermont Centennial Nonprofit Awards. After the Governor’s briefing we attended a meeting hosted by Rep Floyd Nease, Assistant Majority Leader and Senator John Cambell, Senate Majority Leader. The two legislators spent the better part of an hour discussing issues affecting nonprofit organizations from both the federal standpoint as well as the state. Much of their discussion focused on the lack of money forthcoming from both Washington as well as Montpelier to help support nonprofit activities. At 11:15 we attended a caucus of the Vermont Arts Council. There we discussed the effort to increase the Art’s funding cap from $50,000 to $200,000. VCBS inclusion in the caucus was a result of our position as a group that helps define the Vermont Quality of Life (as do all the visual and performing arts). And according to Alex Aldrich, VAC director, this would include any activity or organization, which assists in Historic Preservation of our state treasures. It should also be noted that Andrea Stander, Communications Director for VAC, was helpful to Joe and I by suggesting that VCBS may use VAC as a resource to help educate the general population of the VCBS mission. We had previously made arrangements to take Representative, Richard Westman, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, to lunch. This we did and we talked about where we were regarding the three primary initiatives we have been working on with the Secretary of Transportation, Dawn Terrill: 1) Changes in penalties involving damage to structures on the National Historic Register, 2) Our position on Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Plan for towns and 3) The installation of signs directing interested travelers to our covered bridges. We provided Representative Westman with all the correspondence that we had received back from the Secretary along with some thoughts on how to approach each initiative. We expect to get together with Representative Westman prior to our May meeting to get a final read on an approach our proposals. After lunch, Joe and I spent some time observing a general session of the Legislature where the budget and budget amendments were being discussed. At 2:30 we attended a meeting of the Transportation Committee where they too were discussing budget issues. As follow up to our day in Montpelier, we will be in touch with the Vermont Arts Council folks to see where they may be of help as a resource. And we also will be in touch with Representative Westman for his suggestions on our three initiatives. |
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by Charlie Elflein
Far more than just outdoor pursuits, this little community possesses an interesting history, as well. Back in 1763, King George III of England granted a charter through Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire for land in the Winooski River Valley. The subjects, mostly from Waterbury, Connecticut, received the charter and named the new township after their hometown. Then in 1783, James Marsh became the first permanent settler. Waterbury's early industries included lumber, baskets, children's carriages, leather products, scythe handles, and agriculture. With the winding Winooski River flowing through town, bridges had to be constructed to get these locally-made goods to market, plus people needed safe transportation to travel from point A to point B. That's where the covered bridges came in. Just west of Waterbury village was the Winooski Street Bridge. Unfortunately, very little seems to be known about the history of this former covered span. According to the Waterbury Historical Society, it was located near a creamery and provided access to Duxbury across the river. Like so many other Vermont bridges, it was destroyed on November 3, 1927 in the flood that created havoc throughout the Green Mountain State. The real photo card shown here gives us a good glimpse of the bridge. This was taken from the Duxbury side looking north into Waterbury, with the Worcester Range in the background. The Winooski Street Bridge was a single span Howe truss, with large diagonal portals and vertical siding. You'll also note that there's a large advertising sign pasted onto the bridge's weatherboarding. What better place to catch the attention of the person entering by buggy, auto, bicycle, or on foot? Since the river is quite wide at this location, the bridge must have been impressive to cross or observe from a nearby vantage point. So, the next time you're in Waterbury, turn south in the center of town on Winooski Street and check out the location of this former covered bridge. It's only a short jaunt south of today's Route 2 and provides access to Duxbury's River Road. This unpaved route meanders along the south bank of the Winooski in true Vermont fashion. It's just the type of road we bridgers love! |
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The Sixth Annual Spring Meeting will be held at the Grange Hall in York Street, Lyndon, Vermont. There will be a short business meeting beginning at 10 a.m. followed by a presentation by our speaker William Caswell, Jr. about Long Gone Bridges. Dinner will be served at 12:30. After dinner, attendees are invited to tour the area's covered bridges on own. |
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Covered Bridge Society of Virginia and Patrick County Board of Supervisors The first "Covered Bridge Weekend in Virginia" event is to promote and preserve our historic timber covered bridges and to promote tourism in Patrick County and the Commonwealth. We also want to educate our children and adults as to the historic part these timber structures played in the history of our country. Also to a start chapter and promote membership in the Covered Bridge Society of Virginia. Admission: Free Dates and times of event: Sat. 06/18/05 to Sun. 06/19/05, 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Where? Bob White Bridge on Rte. #618 and Jack's Creek Bridge on Rte. #615. Contact: Leola Pierce, Phone: 757-484-4404 [Interested readers may contact the Covered Bridge Society of Virginia through email address VaBridgeLady@aol.com. The CBSV web site is http://hometown.aol.com/vabridgelady/myhomepage/index.html - Ed.] |
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Cambridge, NY February 24, 2005 - The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted to amend the contract for ongoing repairs to the Buskirk Covered Bridge adding $102,000. The increase was said to be due to construction delays and additional inspections. To date the cost of the reconstruction of the historic bridge spanning the Hoosic River is $2.5 million, nearly twice the original estimate of $1.3 million Area residents are reported frustrated with the costs and delays. The bridge has been closed for two-and-a-half years and is not expected to open until late May, 2005. The delays were caused by efforts to preserve the bridge rather than replace it with a modern span. Also, instead of a projected carrying capacity of 17 tons, the renewed bridge will be limited to 7 tons despite the replacement of 90 percent of the bridge's original fabric with new material. The bridge repairs were funded by federal and state grants meant to repair all three of the Washington County covered bridges, the Rexleigh, Eagleville, and the Buskirk. However the funds were exhausted on the Buskirk Bridge, it being most in need of work [Our thanks to Dick Wilson for forwarding the clipping from the Feb. 24 edition of The Eagle on which, in part, this report is based -Ed.] Pepperell, Ma., February 25, 2005 - Quotes writer Paul MacDonald in his Pepperell
Free
Press article: "Construction is expected to be completed
within 18 months of commencement," was the word from Mass Highway project manager
Michael O'Dowd as the length of time required to replace the covered
bridge over the Nashua River on Groton Street." The cost of the reconstruction is estimated to be
$2.1 million. Charlemont, Ma. , February 27, 2005 - Writes Trudy Tynan, Associated Press: "Folks here hold an abiding fondness for the old interlocked timbers -- so much so that for the second time in a century, they banded together to beat back attempts to replace it with steel and concrete. "Only a handful of covered bridges remain in Massachusetts. But after generations of trying to replace them, state engineers are now pondering ways to save the most threatened of the state's historic structures. "The standoff in Charlemont – the state owns the bridge, but the town controls the river crossing -- lasted for 14 years before state engineers agreed this winter that it could be repaired using wood and a few steel strengthening bars. "Although it is one of the state's newest -- built in 1950 after a brisk round of skirmishing between earlier residents and state engineers to replace an 1880 homemade covered bridge -- the unique design of the Bissell Bridge's truss work has earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places." The 92-foot Bissell Bridge [WGN 21-06-04#2] crosses Mill Brook using a Long Truss variation. The bridge is found on Rte. MA8A north of the junction with Rte. MA2 For the complete article, go to http://www.milforddailynews.com. For more information on the covered bridges of Massachusettes, go to http://www.masscoveredbridges.com. [Our thanks to Patricia Kane for forwarding this article - Ed.] East Rockhill, Pa., Jan. 26, 2005 - The Township Supervisors at their Jan. 18
meeting
ratified an agreement with Bucks County for the Town to
take over Mood's Covered Bridge, allowing PennDot to rebuild. The state-owned wooden bridge
was destroyed by arson June 22, 2004.
I have not visited the bridge yet, but I saw the bridge before it was moved. The structure was cut with a chainsaw at two points, not dismantled. Have a nice day. Gerald Arbour
Don't know if you would want this but I visited the Canyon bridge today and noted damage to the NE end. Appears that a truck might have caught the corner. Photo is attached. John Borthwick Dear John; Thank you very much for the photo and report. I passed it on to the Vermont Covered Bridge Society Bridge-watch folk. When anyone sees damage done to a covered bridge they should please report it. The VCBS will contact the authorities. The licence plate of the perpetrator would be very much appreciated by the Town, the owner of the bridge. Someone will need to pay for the repairs and it shouldn't be the town taxpayers. Your report got the response below. Joe Hi all; Thanks for the info and the photo. I saw the damage when I was running through the bridge yesterday. I was distressed because it shows gross negligence and lack of any good judgement on the part of a truck driver, and because I'm the bridge watch for this structure, I shall speak with the Cambridge Select Board regarding getting the damage repaired. Thanks, Zeke Feb. 21, 2005 Covered Bridge Weekend in Virginia will be held on Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19, 2005. It will be held at the Bob White Covered Bridge and at the Jack's Creek Covered Bridge in Patrick County, Virginia. On your map it is either Woolwine, Virginia or Stuart, Virginia. Both of these bridges are historic timber covered bridges. Details to follow. -Steve Pierce For Leola B. Pierce, Covered Bridge Society of Virginia |
 January 8, 2005 February 5, 2005 Hi Joe
Tom Keating The first two scans are an historical picture of the Neubrücke by the woods of Bremgarten near Bern taken in 1913. The bridge crossing the river Aare is 91 meters long, 3.4 meters high, over 6 meters wide and said to have been built in 1466. If you go to Switzerland, you must not miss the City of Luzern in the central part of the country. It has two of the world's most famous wooden covered bridges. The bigger one ("Kappellbrücke") was completely destroyed in a blaze in 1993 but later rebuilt in the original style. The smaller sister ("Spreuerbrücke") is a few hundred meters down the river and also extremely nice. I visited Luzern last December (2004) and saw both bridges so I know that you got to go there! Attached are a few snapshots from my visit. I also heard about a very nice 400 hundred old Swiss bridge called "Neubrücke" crossing the river Aare on the way from Bern to Bremgarten. Gregor Wenda [See the rest of the pictures at the VCBS website: www.vermontbridges.com Ed.] |
 The wrath of Mother Nature certainly arrived
during
January and February leaving us with a lot of snow, and no place
to put it! But for those of us who enjoy photographing our snowy covered bridges, it was
paradise. I’m sure this wasn’t the case for those who have to
shovel, snow blow or plow 20-22 inches of snow. But spring is not far away and I certainly look
forward to getting out of the house and doing some bridging. Upcoming Birthdays and Anniversaries:  Five years ago, The Vermont Covered Bridge Society had its very first All-Member Meeting in Lyndonville. Our 6th Annual All-member Meeting will be held in Lyndon this year. Our hostess, Kathryn Ramsey, Director of the Lyndonville Bridge-watch, has arranged with the Lyndon Grange for a meeting place and catered dinner at the Grange Hall in York Street, on Saturday, May 7, 2005. The dinner will be chicken and biscuits with vegetable, coffee or tea, with sheet cake dessert for $8. The Grange Hall will be open beginning 10 a.m. We will begin, as usual, with a brief business meeting followed by our featured speaker. Bill Caswell has agreed to speak to us about lost bridges. He is part of a group, "Covered Bridges of Yesteryear," researching long-gone covered bridges and recording their history. Much of their material comes from the NSPCB archives and from participating covered bridge historians among the CB societies. Bill and the group host an excellent website www.lostbridges.com. His presentation should be of great interest to all of us. Look for the dinner registration form and a map of Lyndon in this newsletter issue. When we met in September of 2000, Our host was Jim Fearon, Director of the VCBS Lyndonville Bridge-watch Area. Jim realized the value of his town's covered bridges and as a member of the Lyndonville Chamber of Commerce he chaired a committee to see that the bridges received the maintenance they needed. He recruited volunteers to do the work, sweeping, painting and clearing brush and landscaping. His campaign made the town's covered bridges a centerpiece for many of the town's celebrations and activities, declaring Lyndon to be the "Covered Bridge Capitol of the Northeast Kingdom." Jim joined the VCBS having already created a Bridge-watch area in the best sense of the word. Jim passed on in June, 2003. The 2004 Annual VCBS Directors meeting adopted the proposition that the Society establish a fund in which moneys may be deposited to grow for the purpose of making contributions to groups who are actively preserving their covered bridge. At that time the membership was asked to suggest a name for the fund referred to by the working title "Save-a-bridge Fund." This year, the Annual Directors Meeting voted that the Save-a bridge Fund be named in honor of the late Director of the VCBS Northeast Kingdom Chapter: "The Jim Fearon Save-a-bridge Fund". To kick-start the fund, the oil painting "Cambridge Junction Covered Bridge," by artist Eric Tobin Eric has donated the painting to the VCBS to help us promote the preservation of our covered bridges. It is on exhibit at the Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville, and on www.bryanmemorialgallery.org for sale for $2400. Eric has authorized the VCBS to sell prints of his painting. We are offering these prints for sale on our web page www.vermontbridges.com, at our meetings, and in this issue of the Bridger. The proceeds of the print sales will go to "The Jim Fearon Save-a-bridge Fund" I am looking forward to seeing you all in Lyndon on May 7. I am yours in Bridging Joe Nelson, President, VCBS |
Joe Nelson, P.O Box 267, Jericho, VT 05465-0267This file posted March 23, 2005