Bedell Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Bedell Bridge was a Burr truss
covered bridge
that spanned the Connecticut River
between Newbury, Vermont
and Haverhill, New Hampshire
. Until its most recent destruction in 1979, it was the second longest covered bridge in the United States
.
A Save the Bedell Bridge Committee raised $250,000 to rebuild the bridge, which was completed by 1978 with the associated Bedell Bridge State Park. The bridge was rededicated on July 22, 1979 only to be blown away again by a windstorm on September 14, 1979. The state park, as well as the abutment
s and a pier
in the river, are all that remains.
Burr Truss
The Burr Arch Truss — or simply Burr Truss or Burr Arch — is a combination of an arch and a multiple kingpost truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges....
covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
that spanned the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
between Newbury, Vermont
Newbury, Vermont
Newbury could be either of the following places in the U.S. state of Vermont:*Newbury , Vermont*Newbury , Vermont...
and Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,697 at the 2010 census. Haverhill includes the villages of Woodsville, Pike, and North Haverhill, the historic town center at Haverhill Corner, and the district of Mountain Lakes...
. Until its most recent destruction in 1979, it was the second longest covered bridge in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
So far, there have been five bridges on this site. The first was built in 1805 and heavily damaged in 1823. Quickly rebuilt that year, it was washed away in 1841. A third bridge was carried away by a spring flood in 1862. The fourth bridge was destroyed in a storm on July 4, 1866. The final bridge, so far, was built that same year. It was in service for over a hundred years until it was closed to traffic in 1968. It was scheduled for demolition in 1973 due to heavy damage that year.A Save the Bedell Bridge Committee raised $250,000 to rebuild the bridge, which was completed by 1978 with the associated Bedell Bridge State Park. The bridge was rededicated on July 22, 1979 only to be blown away again by a windstorm on September 14, 1979. The state park, as well as the abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s and a pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
in the river, are all that remains.