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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Williamsville or Morse, Windham County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

If you would like to provide information on covered bridges that no longer exist from your state, or adopt a state to work on, we would certainly welcome your assistance. Please contact Trish Kane for more information.

Inventory Number: VT/45-13-05x
County: Windham County
Township: Newfane
Town/Village: Williamsville
Bridge Name: Williamsville or Morse
Crosses: Rock River
Truss type: Town
Spans: 1
Length: 118'
Roadway Width:
Built: bef 1869
Builder:
When Lost: Jul 2010
Cause: Rebuilt/Replaced
Latitude: N42 56.575
Longitude: W072 41.208
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 2.7 miles west of VT30 and Dummerston-Newfane town line on Dover Rd. to South Newfane.

Williamsville Bridge, Newfane, Windham County, VT Built before 1869, Replaced 2010
Bill Caswell Photo

Williamsville Bridge, Newfane, Windham County, VT Built before 1869, Replaced 2010
Henry A. Gibson Photo, October 9, 1938, NSPCB Archives

Williamsville Bridge, Newfane, Windham County, VT Built before 1869, Replaced 2010
Margaret Foster Collection, NSPCB Archives

Comments:
The construction date is unknown, but the bridge is said to have survived the 1869 flood. At one time, the east end was raised to keep water running down the hill from going into the bridge. This was unsuitable to the traveling public so the road was raised allowing water to flow onto the bridge floor. A 1949 article about the bridge called it the Morse covered bridge. In 1950 the bridge was repaired, and, at this time, it is possible that steel I-beam stringers were added beneath the flooring. Then in 1980 a massive laminated plank stringer was added above the floor to the inside of each truss and the steel I-beam stringers were removed. In the late 1990s, at a cost of $10,000.00, new floor planking was installed. The original bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1973. After much deliberation state bridge inspectors determined that the span should no longer be used by emergency vehicles. Replacement options had been discussed by the state’s Historic Bridge Committee as early as 2001. The choices were between a modern concrete and steel span, or rebuilding the ancient bridge again. The town accepted the state's proposal to replace it with a replica capable of carrying modern traffic. Construction of the new bridge began in late November 2009 by Alpine Construction of Schuylerville, New York. The new span was constructed in a small area west of the crossing. The old bridge was taken down in July 2010, and the new bridge placed over the river on August 2, 2010.

Sources:
Allen, Richard S. & Morse Victor. Windham County's Famous Covered Bridges, 1960, page 17
Conwill, Joseph D.. Images of America - Vermont Covered Bridges, 2004, page 50
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2009, page 151

Compilation 2026 Covered Spans of Yesteryear

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