Endowment Established For Lyndon’s Covered Bridges

Paul Hayes phayes@littletonrecord.com Staff Writer Feb 29, 2024 Updated Feb 29, 2024

 

 

LYNDON — An endowment has been established to preserve the town’s historic covered bridges.

The Lyndon Covered Bridge Endowment Fund will go towards the maintenance, repair, and capital improvement of the town’s five covered bridges: Chamberlin, Miller’s Run, Randall, Sanborn and Schoolhouse.

The six-figure endowment will provide a 50/50 match for the required work, with public or private funds covering the other half of specific project costs.

It was established in memory of Vermont natives Dale and Betty (Lyman) Dawson by their children, Tyler Dawson and Beth Dubin.

According to a press release, Dale grew up in Lyndonville, graduated from Lyndon Institute and the University of Vermont, and had a lifelong fondness for his hometown, particularly the covered bridges that shape the area’s character.

“Gifts like this do not happen very often,” said Chris Thompson, Chair of the Lyndon Selectboard. “Lyndon is very fortunate to be the recipient of this tremendously generous donation in honor of the Dawson family’s love for our covered bridges. We know that this fund will help our community continue to take care of the Chamberlain, Schoolhouse, Miller’s Run, Randall, and Sanborn covered bridges and help future generations cherish them as well.”

The first payment from the endowment will go towards the rehabilitation of the Sanborn Covered Bridge, the press release states.

The Sanborn Covered Bridge project started two years ago with a $100,000 Bruhn Revitalization Grant through the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and has progressed as a result of sizeable state and federal grants.

The project is expected to have all engineering, permitting, and reviews completed by summer 2024 and be ready for bid by late fall 2024. Construction should begin in the spring of 2025.

“In the end, this bridge will be a showcase element at the north entrance to our village,” said Municipal Administrator Justin Smith. “This project supports outdoor recreation, local economic development, and flood resiliency goals for Lyndon. The bridge will be at the heart of a riverfront park that Lyndon will create after the bridge rehabilitation. The bridge and park space will serve as the confluence point of many trail networks including Paths Around Lyndon and VAST. We continue to be a close partner with Kingdom Trails Association and are hoping that their network of mountain bike trails will connect to downtown through the Sanborn Covered Bridge.”

The Lyndon Covered Bridge Endowment Fund will be managed by the Preservation Trust of Vermont, which will invest the funds, support additional contributions, and coordinate and manage the allocations.

Interested donors are invited to contribute a tax-deductible donation to the Lyndon Covered Bridge Endowment Fund.

Donations can be made to Preservation Trust of Vermont, 90 Main Street, Suite 304, Montpelier, VT 05602 or through their secure online donation page www.ptvermont.org/about/give. Please select “Special Donation” and add “Covered Bridges” to the Additional Info box or on the memo line of a check.

For more information please contact Nicole Gratton, nicole@ptvermont.org.