Scott Covered Bridge
Townshend, VT
WGN Number: 45-13-13
Photo by Steve Bergeron © 2017
The Scott Bridge is reputed to stand over one of the best swimming spots on West River. Indeed, a rope is often seen hanging from the span under missing sheathing planks. The bridge was named for the former Henry Scott homestead at the west end.
Joe Nelson notes that "The Scott Bridge is actually three bridges, put in place by Harrison Chamberlin in 1870 after the flood of 1869. The "over-the-river" section is a 166-foot plank-lattice span. The 111-foot section, incorporating two kingpost spans supported by a pier, crosses a gully on the west bank, making the whole affair 277 feet long. The Kingpost trusses use iron rods rather than the old style timber posts. The Scott Bridge is considered to be the longest wooden bridge within the state." (Spanning Time: Vermont's Covered Bridge by Joseph C. Nelson ©1997 p. 188)
The bridge renovation was started in 2016. Work was completed in the summer of 2017 by Renaud Brothers, Inc. from Vernon, Vermont. Part of the renovation involved the removal of the "twisted arch". A study of the bridge determined that the arch provided no useful functionality.
The bridge is now open to pedestrians and bicycles. This YouTube video captures the bridge restoration celebration on July 23, 2017: Scott Covered Bridge Restoration Celebration 7/23/17.
For some historical coverage of the Scott bridge, have a look at the From The Archives section of the Summer 2017 issue of the Bridger newsletter (page 7).
Scott Covered Bridge Vital Statistics
| Town: | Townshend |
| Location: | Route 30 |
| Crossing: | West River |
| Date: | 1870 |
| Builder: | Harrison Chamberlin |
| Truss Type: | Town lattice and kingpost |
| Truss Length: | 277 feet |
| National Register of Historical Places Listing Date: | August 28, 1973 |
| Date Renovated: | 2016/2017 |
| Renovation Contractor: | Renaud Brothers, Inc. Vernon, Vermont |
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.
