Williamsville Covered Bridge, historic covered bridge, carrying Dover Road over the Rock River in Newfane, Vermont
The Williamsville Covered Bridge carries Dover Road over the Rock River about 0.4 miles west of Williamsville village. It is 118 feet long and 21 feet wide, a single travel lane under a metal roof, with two Town lattice trusses and vertical board siding. Its original wooden roadway supports have been replaced by steel beams, and the roadbed is paved.
Built in the 1870s by an unknown builder, the bridge is probably the oldest covered bridge in Windham County and the only one surviving in Newfane. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Its original wooden roadway supports were later replaced by steel beams, and the roadbed was paved.
The bridge takes its name from the nearby village of Williamsville and has become a local landmark that connects residents across the Rock River. It remains the only covered bridge in Newfane and holds a special place in the town's identity and memory.
The bridge has a single traffic lane with small rectangular openings in the siding to help drivers see when approaching from either direction. The interior clearance is approximately 11 feet high, which means oversized vehicles or tall loads may not fit through safely.
Small rectangular window openings punctuate the bridge's wooden sides to give drivers better visibility when entering from either end. This practical design choice from the original construction shows how builders solved the safety challenge of passing through a dark enclosed wooden structure.
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