Vermont Bridges: From Here to There

by Katherine Teetor

Crossings is the totally descriptive title of a book by Robert McCullough, the speaker at the June meeting of the Charlotte/Ferrisburgh Historical Societies. From his academic career, including his present day work in Historic Preservation at UVM, Professor McCullough has created a slide-show version of “A History of Vermont Bridges.” With more than 400 illustrations to choose from, his talk will illuminate the roads and bridges landscape.
“And you thought only covered bridges were historic,” is the message on the book’s back cover. Well, you were wrong! Wonderfully enough, Vermont has a superlative collection of covered bridges, 100 in all, 12 percent of the national total.
McCullough’s book extends the reader’s reach, unraveling the mysteries of reinforced concrete arch, steel beam and girder, stone, wooden and metal truss bridges. We even have a floating bridge and several truly one-of-a-kinds.
The book is dedicated to the bridge engineers of the Agency of Transportation and the heritage conservationists at the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation. That combination defines much of current policy questions: how to preserve the old while meeting the needs of heavy vehicular traffic, the latter most visible on interstate bridges. Not every old bridge is worth saving but caution in discarding is the rule as estimated figures show that more than half the historic bridges in many states have been lost over the last 20 years.
Vermont took the lead in hosting the first national conference on the preservation of covered bridges in June 2003 under federal law sponsored by Senator James Jeffords. The groundwork was laid from earliest construction times as local historical groups and various Vermont state departments documented the construction projects. Looking at photographs taken in the years bracketing 1920, one sees that the inroads of life in the automobile age are everywhere. Again and again, in looking at issues close to home, like the necessary width of view clearance at street intersections or issues of very large significance, citizen interest is the key. When people care and express concern, change occurs.
All this is an invitation to the meeting on Wednesday, June 4, at the Ferrisburgh Central School. We start at 7 p.m. and adjourn by 9, with refreshments provided toward the closing time. For the summer months, the combined societies will meet at the Charlotte Serior Center with dates and topics to be announced. All of us can be part of history in the making right near home, and you don’t need to be a member. Welcome, everyone.