National Register of Historic Places

Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge

Townshend, Windham County, Vermont
Listed
April 10, 1977
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000105

About this property

The Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge, carrying Vermont Route 35 across Simpson Brook, north of the village of Townshend, Vermont. Built about 1909, it is one of a few surviving bridges in the region built by local mason James Otis Follett. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The Simpsonville Bridge is located on Grafton Road (Vermont Route 35) about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the village of Townshend, spanning Simpson Brook just east of the junction with Simpson Brook Road. The bridge is built out of rough-cut and roughly-course granite blocks, now mortared with a variety of materials. The arch has a span of 18 feet (5.5 m) and a height above the brook of about 6 feet (1.8 m). The stone portion of the structure has a total length of about 20 feet (6.1 m). The wing walls obscure portions of the arch, including its spandrels and abutments The bridge has been widened by the addition of steel culverts to both sides, further obscuring the original structure. The bridge is topped by a gravel base and paved roadway, and has a total width of 35 feet (11 m), including the culvert extensions. This bridge is one of more than about 40 built in Towshend and other nearby communities by James Otis Follett, a local mason. Of thirteen bridges built by Follett in Townshend, only six survived when this bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Follett's entire opus is distinctive, as it was produced at a time when most bridges were built with iron and steel. This appears to have been one of the last he built before his death in 1911. National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Vermont

Location

Townshend, Windham County, Vermont
43.07038, -72.65488

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

First Congregational Church and Meetinghouse
Industrial
1.8 mi
Wheelock House
Industrial
2.6 mi
Scott Covered Bridge
Industrial
2.6 mi
Follett Stone Arch Bridge Historic District
Listed
2.7 mi
West Townshend Village Historic District
Listed
2.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge listed on the National Register?

Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge?

Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge?

The period of significance for Simpsonville Stone Arch Bridge is recorded as the industrial era.

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