Skip to main content

Gold Brook Covered Bridge - Stowe, Vermont

Image
By

 


Also known as Emily's Bridge or the Stowe Hollow Covered Bridge, the Gold Brook Covered Bridge crosses over Gold Brook in Stowe, Vermont. The 49 foot long bridge was built by John W. Smith in 1844 and the bridge was rehabilitated in 1979. The last historic covered bridge in Stowe, Vermont is also the last remaining Howe through truss bridge built in the 19th Century that is still on a public roadway in Vermont. While the Gold Brook Covered Bridge is set aside a few miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Stowe, the big story with this covered bridge is steeped in local legend and lore.

The Gold Brook Covered Bridge has stories that relate to the paranormal. Many people claim to have experienced strange events at the bridge and some even believe that the bridge is haunted. The covered bridge even has an alternate name of Emily's Bridge because of this lore. There are a few competing stories about the haunted nature of the bridge, all of which include a woman by the name of Emily and none of which have a happy ending. One story goes that Emily was in love with a man named Donald, who did not care much for Emily, but managed to get her pregnant. When Emily's father found out about the pregnancy, both Emily and Donald jumped to their deaths from the bridge. Another story goes where a woman named Emily planned to meet her fiancé at the bridge so they could elope. But her fiancé never showed up, and in despair, she hung herself from the rafters.

Even though the bridge may or may not be haunted by Emily's ghost, the bridge is frequented by amateur ghost hunters, tourists and others hoping to see something supernatural. It is possible that the story of Emily’s Bridge doesn’t go back to the 19th Century, but rather during the 1970s. A woman by the name of Nancy Wolfe Stead claimed that she was the one who created the story of Emily to scare local youth. But regardless of whether you are interested in paranormal activity or you're like me and just like to visit covered bridges, the Gold Brook Covered Bridge is worth the detour if you are in the Stowe area.

The Gold Brook Covered Bridge was named after the Gold Brook that the bridge spans over. The name of Gold Brook came about as someone had found gold in the stream in the past.

Inside the covered bridge. It fits one lane of traffic, or a few humans across.


How to Get There:



Sources and Links:
Bridgehunter.com - Gold Brook Covered Bridge 45-08-12
Vermont Covered Bridge Society - Gold Brook Covered Bridge
Scenic Vermont Photography - Gold Brook Covered Bridge/Stowe Hollow Bridge/Emily’s Bridge in Stowe Vermont
Vermont Community News Group - The Bridges of Lamoille County: 13 covered bridges span local rivers, streams
Stowe Country Homes - Emily’s Covered Bridge in Stowe, VT
Vermonter.com - Emily’s Bridge of Stowe – Vermont’s Most Famous Ghost Story
Obscure Vermont - Emily's Bridge?

Labels

Labels:
Location: Gold Brook Covered Bridge, Covered Bridge Rd, Stowe, VT 05672, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

By
Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...
Post a Comment
Read more

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

By
Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80.   This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail.  Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range.  The first documented wagon crossi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

By
The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...
Post a Comment
Read more