About
The Brown Covered Bridge carries Upper Cold River Road over the Cold River in northwestern Shrewsbury, about 5 miles southeast of Rutland. It is a single-span Town lattice truss with a truss length of about 112 feet, built in 1880, and it is open to vehicles. It is believed to be the only standing covered bridge in the United States with a slate roof.
History
Nichols M. Powers, a Vermont bridgewright then living in Clarendon, built the bridge in 1880 for less than $1,100. It is the last bridge known to be his work; he also built the Old Blenheim Bridge in Schoharie, New York. The bridge is named for George Brown, whose home stood about 100 yards away. It was resided in 2002, and a 2008 inspection called for rehabilitation. Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 caused minor damage and the bridge was closed to vehicles. Wright Construction of Mt. Holly completed a rehabilitation in 2015 covering the roof, siding, runner planks, truss and foundation stones, and the bridge reopened to vehicles on July 5, 2016. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1974, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2014.
Design
The Town lattice truss is a web of crisscrossed planks fastened with wooden pegs. The Vermont Covered Bridge Society calls this an outstanding example of the type. The bridge rests on stone abutments capped in concrete, and one abutment incorporates a very large boulder.
Visiting
The bridge is on Upper Cold River Road in Shrewsbury. It has been open to vehicles since it reopened in July 2016.
Sources: Brown Covered Bridge (Wikipedia), Brown Bridge (Vermont Covered Bridge Society)
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