Sayre Covered Bridge
Thetford Center, VT
WGN Number: 45-09-06
Photo by Scott Wagner © 2010
When the Sayre Bridge is viewed from the top of the falls, the scene is hard to equal. The truss used in the span is a unique adaptation of Herman Haupt's 1839 patent. The mid-stream pier was added in 1963. Ed Barna notes in his book Covered Bridges of Vermont that during the 1963 work, four steel beams were added under the roadway to help the bridge support the heavy traffic loads. The original abutments were also addressed at that time. (Barna, E. (1996) Covered Bridges of Vermont. Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press pg. 159.)
In 2003 the Historic Covered Bridge Committee met to discuss the Sayre bridge. The committee proposed that work be done on the trusses, floor, abutments, and siding. Click here for the full report: Historic Covered Bridge Committee Notes of September 8, 2003 for: SAYERS COVERED BRIDGE (#27) IN THETFORD
The bridge was rehabilitated again in 2007 by Alpine Construction of Schuylerville, New York. Details and the following controversy can be found in the Winter 2007 edition of the Bridger newsletter.
Click here for a short history of the Sayers Covered Bridges: A Short History of the Sayre Covered Bridge.
Our thanks to the Town of Thetford for allowing the posting of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society Welcome patch. For more information about the Thetford area visit their website at www.thetfordvermont.us.
Sayre Covered Bridge Vital Statistics
| Town: | Thetford Center |
| Location: | Tucker Hill Road |
| Crossing: | Ompompanoosuc River |
| Date: | 1839 |
| Builder: | Unknown |
| Truss Type: | Haupt with arch |
| Truss Length: | 127 feet |
| Other Names: | Thetford Center / Tucker Hill |
| National Register of Historical Places Listing Date: | September 17, 1974 |
| Date Renovated: | 2007 |
| Renovation Contractor: | Alpine Construction Schuylerville, New York |
Credits: All pictures, information and descriptions are taken from Spanning Time Vermont's Covered Bridges by Joseph C. Nelson ©1997 and the World Guide to Covered Bridges - 2009 unless otherwise specified.
