Union Village - 1888
The 1867 Union Village Covered Bridge is a historic covered bridge, carrying Academy Road across the Ompompanoosuc River in Union Village, Thetford, Orange County, Vermont. It is the state's longest 19th-century multiple kingpost truss bridge and one of two surviving 19th-century covered bridges in Thetford; the other is the Thetford Center Covered Bridge. The bridge underwent major rehabilitation from 2002-2003.
National Register Nomination Information:
The Union Village Covered Bridge consists of a single span supported by two flanking timber multiple kingpost trusses. A diagonal stiffening brace extends the length of each truss, rising from the floor at each portal to the top of the center kingpost. Two laminated stringers have been tie-bolted to the underside of the floor beams for reinforcement; each stringer comprises a number of shorter timbers that have been tie-bolted together. Iron rods extend diagonally between the bottom chords to serve as lower lateral braces. Short sections of steel angle stock now fulfill the function of knee braces between alternate kingposts and the top beams.
The abutments were built originally of irregular stone laid dry. Subsequently, the east abutment has been faced with concrete, and the west abutment capped.
The bridge is 113 feet long at deck level. The ends of the side walls flare outward so that the gable ends overhang the floor 5 feet at each portal. The bridge is 19 feet wide and has a 15-foot roadway. The wood deck, which consists of planks laid on edge parallel to the trusses, begins 6 feet inside the east portal and 2.5 feet inside the west portal; the approaches are paved.
On the exterior, the heavy timbers bolted together to form the trusses (and side walls) of the bridge are covered with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. Similar siding protects the ends of the trusses immediately inside the portals. Three large rectangular windows have been cut in each side wall. The gable ends are also sheathed with unpainted flush boards hung vertically. The medium-pitch gable roof is now covered with corrugated metal sheeting.
Length of largest span: 98.1 ft.
Total length: 123 ft.
Deck width: 14.8 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 8.8 ft.
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on September 17, 1974.
Located at: N43 47.319 W72 15.245 - WGCB #45-09-05
Photographed in June of 2022