The Halpin Covered Bridge, also called the High Covered Bridge,[2] is a wooden covered bridge carrying Halpin Bridge Road across the Muddy Branch of the New Haven River in Middlebury, Vermont. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[1]

Halpin Covered Bridge
Coordinates44°03′00″N 73°08′28″W / 44.05°N 73.141°W / 44.05; -73.141
CarriesAutomobile
CrossesMuddy Branch of New Haven River
LocaleMiddlebury, Vermont
Maintained byTown of Middlebury
ID numberVT-01-03
Characteristics
DesignCovered, Town lattice
MaterialWood
Total length66.25 ft (20.19 m)
Width11.9 ft (3.63 m)
No. of spans1
Load limit8 tons
Clearance above9.75 ft (2.97 m)
History
Constructed byunknown
Construction end1850
Halpin Covered Bridge is located in Vermont
Halpin Covered Bridge
Halpin Covered Bridge is located in the United States
Halpin Covered Bridge
Coordinates44°3′0″N 73°08′28″W / 44.05000°N 73.14111°W / 44.05000; -73.14111
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
NRHP reference No.74000199[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 10, 1974

Description and history

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The Halpin Covered Bridge is located in a rural area of northern Middlebury, near or on the border with neighboring New Haven on Halpin Bridge Road, a dead-end road off Halpin Road. The bridge spans a gorge carrying the Muddy Branch of the New Haven River, and now provides access only to the Halpin family farm. It is a single-span Town lattice truss, 66 feet (20 m) long, resting on concrete abutments. Its total width is 16 feet (4.9 m), with a roadway width of 12 feet 5 inches (3.78 m) (one lane). The bridge stands 41 feet (12.5 m) above the water, making it the highest covered bridge in the state.[3]

The bridge was originally built to serve a marble quarry operation on the east side of the river, and had dry laid stone abutments. It is one of only two covered bridges in Middlebury. It had minor repairs made in the 1960s. In 1994 the bridge had extensive work done by Jan Lewandoski, in which the bridge was completely removed from its crumbling marble abutments, and new concrete abutments were created for it.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Evans, Benjamin and June. New England's Covered Bridges. University Press of New England, 2004. ISBN 1-58465-320-5
  3. ^ Hugh Henry (1974). "NRHP nomination for John Hamilton Farmstead". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-09-13. with photos from 1974