Travel New England: Highgate Falls Parabolic Truss Bridge

The parabolic truss bridge in Highgate Falls, Vermont is a state owned historic bridge located in Franklin County. The historic bridge, which was built in 1887, is one of the few remaining examples of this once very common style. Built by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company, a Connecticut-based company that built hundreds of bridges in New England and the United States in the late 1800s, the nearly 300 foot span crosses the Missisquoi River.

The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. An agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the Vermont Agency of Transportation in 1998 created the Vermont Historic Bridge Program that allowed for the rehabilitation and preservation of the Highgate Falls and numerous other bridges throughout the state.

The bridge carried vehicular traffic until 1976 and would be re-opened for pedestrian use in 2000. (1) One of the notable features of the bridge is the many ornate details.

The parabolic or lenticular design was developed by William Douglas. In 1878, the Berlin Iron Bridge Company purchased the rights to Douglas's patent and began to standardize and pre-assemble parts for numerous bridges throughout New England and the United States. The main parabolic/lenticular span runs 215 feet while a pony truss bridge on the south approach runs 80 feet.

All photos taken by post author - August 19, 2006.

How to get there:

Comments

Signed County Route J37; the last Signed Tulare County Route and the Lone Pine to Porterville High Sierra Road

Recently I drove the entirety of Signed County Route J37 located in rural Tulare County. Signed County Route J37 is notable in that it is the last Signed County Route which actually has field signage left in Tulare County and was intended to be part of a Trans-Sierra Highway known as the Lone Pine to Porterville High Sierra Road.

While researching California State Route 190 and more specifically the gap in the highway over the Sierra Nevada Range it became quickly apparent that there was far more to J37/Balch Park Road than initially thought. The previous blog on California State Route 190 can be found here:

California State Route 190; the Trans-Sierra Highway that could have been

On the above blog I attached an article from 1926 written by the Los Angeles Times detailing the route of the Lone Pine to Porterville High Sierra Road which was slated to begin construction in 1927. The route of the Lone Pine to Porterville High Sierra Road would have followed Carroll Creek southward out…

Paper Highways of the Mojave Desert and San Gabriel Mountains; CA 48 (ii), CA 122, CA 196, and CA 249

In this edition Paper Highways the planned California State Highways of the Mojave Desert and San Gabriel Mountains are explored. This issue will cover the planned routes of; the second CA 48, CA 122, CA 196, and CA 249.

Part 1; the wholesale Legislative Route adoptions of 1959

CA 48, CA 122, CA 196, and CA 249 prior to the 1964 State Highway Renumbering all were adopted as planned Legislative Routes ("LRN") in 1959. Part of the planned LRN 267 west of Lancaster was already part of the existing CA 138 on LRN 59. CA 48 east of Lancaster was planned as LRN 267 which was to have an eastern terminus at LRN 266. LRN 266 was planned to originate from CA 2/LRN 61 near La Canada Flintridge and cross north/northeast over the San Gabriel Mountains into the Mojave Desert near Palmdale. LRN 266 was planned to continue northeast from Palmdale to former US 466/LRN 48 near Hawes. LRN 266 became CA 249 and CA 122 during the 1964 State Highway Renumbering. LRN 269 was planned to be rou…

Former US Route 99,US Route 466, and California State Route 65 through Famoso

This past weekend I explored the alignments of US Route 99, US Route 466, and California State Highway 65 through Famoso.

Part 1; The history of State Highway service in Famoso

Famoso is a ghost town and former Southern Pacific Railroad siding located in northern Kern County on Poso Creek. The site of Famoso is located roughly at the junction of CA 99 and CA 46. Famoso was founded as a Southern Pacific Railroad siding known as "Poso" during the early 1870s when the Southern Pacific Railroad was building it's main freight line through San Joaquin Valley. The name of Poso was changed in 1888 to Spottiswood when the community received a spur line of the Southern Pacific and Post Office Service. The community name of Poso was already in use by a mining community to the west in San Luis Obispo County which required a new name be chosen to establish Post Office Service. The name of Spottiswood was changed to Famoso in 1895.

Famoso was an important early highway junction in…

Gribblenation

Search This Blog