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

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

By
  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic
Post a Comment
Read more

Tulare Lake returns

By
During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou
1 comment
Read more

US Route 95 in California

By
US Route 95 within California exists within San Bernardino County and Riverside County.  US Route 95 within California is approximately 130 miles factoring multiplexes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40.  US Route 95 in California begins at the Arizona state line along the Colorado River near Blythe in Riverside County.  US Route 95 follows the general course of the Colorado River north through the Sonoran Desert to the Mojave Desert towards Needles of San Bernadino County.  US Route 95 enters Nevada north of Interstate 40 and the historic alignment of US Route 66.  US Route 95 was extended to Blythe, California during July 1939.  Upon US Route 95 entering California during 1939 it overlapped and deleted much of the original California State Route 195.  US Route 95 was extended from Blythe into Arizona during June 1960.   Part 1; the history of US Route 95 in California The corridor of modern-day US Route 95 in California first came to prominence during the run-up to the creation of
Post a Comment
Read more