Power House Covered Bridge, Vermont Photo Print

"Power House Covered Bridge" by Catherine Sherman. The Power House Covered Bridge is shown here situated among bright Autumn foliage. Also known as the School Street Covered Bridge, the bridge, built in 1872, crosses the Gihon River off State Route 100C in Johnson, Vermont. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The bridge's name is from a now obsolete hydroelectric generating station just upstream from it, but electrical wires still run near the bridge. The builder of this bridge of Queen post truss design is unknown. In 1960, minor repairs were conducted to the abutments, approaches and floor. In 1995, it was recommended to reinforce the deck due to the large number of trucks using the road as a short cut. Steel I beams were installed underneath. In 2000, the bridge was destroyed by a heavy snow load. The roof collapsed and the side walls fell outward into the river below. Because of the installation of the steel I beams, the deck was self-supporting and actually survived. Guardrails were put up on the sides of the deck to keep the bridge open while its fate was decided. In 2002, the bridge was reconstructed and reopened on June 29, 2002. Trucks are no longer allowed on this one-lane bridge, one of the many charming one-lane bridges in New England.