Skip to main content

Travel New England - Mill and Cilley Bridges - Tunbridge, Vermont

The Mill and Cilley bridges are two of five covered bridges that sit off of Vermont Route 110 in Tunbridge. A sixth bridge is relatively close by in the Town of Chelsea.  All six bridges cross the North Branch of the White River.  In August of 2006, I was able to check out the Mill and Cilley bridges.

Mill Bridge:


The Mill Bridge receives its name from the 19th Century Hayward and Kibby Mill that still stands near the bridge.  The original Mill Bridge was built in 1883 by Arthur C. Adams.  It was a multiple kingpost bridge and stood until an ice jam destroyed the bridge in the Winter of 1999.   The jam had shifted the bridge off of its abutments; and if jarred loose, the destroyed bridge would have threatened other covered bridges downstream.  It was decided to burn the remnants of the bridge on the river so it would not impact any other bridge.

The former Hayward and Kibby Mill still stands alongside the bridge.
The Central Vermont community rallied quickly to replace the bridge and a new structure built as closely to the original design as possible was in place and open the following year.  The Mill Bridge carries Spring Road and runs just under 72 feet in length.  It is sometimes also known as the Hayward or Noble Bridge.  The original Mill Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Cilley Bridge:



Located less than a mile downstream from the Mill Bridge, the Cilley Covered Bridge carries Howe Lane over the North Branch of the White River.  It was also built in 1883 by Arthur C. Adams.  The bridge was in the process of being restored when visited in August of 2006.  It is a multiple kingpost truss bridge and is just under 67 feet in length.

The Cilley Bridge under rehabilitation in August 2006.
The Cilley Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Further Reading:


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dillon Road

Dillon Road is a 34.2-mile highway located in northern Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California.  Dillon Road begins at Avenue 48 on the outskirts of Indio and ends to the west at California State Route 62 near San Gorgonio Pass.  Dillon Road was developed the 1930s as a construction road for the Colorado River Aqueduct.  Dillon Road serves as a northern bypass to much of the development of Coachella Valley.  Dillon Road is known for it's frequent dips and spectacular views of San Gorgonio Pass.   Part 1; the history of Dillon Road Dillon Road was constructed as a haul road for the Colorado River Aqueduct through Coachella Valley.  The Colorado River Aqueduct spans 242 miles from Parker Dam on the Colorado River west to Lake Mathews near Corona.  Construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct began during January 1933 near Thousand Palms and was made functional on January 7, 1939.  West of Berdoo Canyon Road the alignment of Dillon Road is largely concurrent with the Colorado

Oldtown Toll Bridge - Maryland and West Virginia

  The Oldtown Toll Bridge linking Oldtown, Maryland over the Potomac River with neighboring Green Spring, West Virginia is only one of a few truly privately owned toll bridges located in the United States. It's a simple bridge by design, as the 318 foot long Oldtown Toll Bridge is a low water bridge. Low water bridges are designed to allow water to safely and efficiently flow over the bridge deck. Additionally, a dozen concrete pedestals have been secured in the Potomac River in order to support the bridge and wooden deck. The bridge was constructed in 1937 when a gentleman by the name of Mr. Carpenter obtained the proper permits to build the Bridge through an Act of Congress. This was a blessing for residents, especially on the West Virginia side of the Potomac River, as it saved motorists commuting to Cumberland an hour in travel time. Using Mr. Carpenter's blueprints, the Army Corp of Engineers and a number of local laborers constructed the bridge and it remained under the

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road

Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road is an approximately 21-mile highway located in southeast Kern County.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road begins at Tehachapi Boulevard (former US Route 466) in Tehachapi and crosses the Tehachapi Mountains via the 4,820-foot-high Oak Creek Pass.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road enters Antelope Valley of the wider Mojave Desert and passes by the historic stage station of Willow Springs to a southern terminus at Rosamond Boulevard.  Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road has historic ties to the Havilah-Los Angeles Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road due to the once reliable presence of water at Willow Springs. Part 1; the history of Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road Oak Creek Pass and Willow Springs were known to the local tribes of the Tehachapi Mountains for generations.  The first documented European crossing of Oak Creek Pass was during 1776 as part of an expedition by Francisco Garces.  Oak Creek Pass is as used again by John C. Fremont during an 1844-1845 expedition to e