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Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's, Lamoille County

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Inventory Number: VT/45-08-12
County: Lamoille County
Township: Stowe
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's
Crosses: Gold Brook
Truss type: Howe
Spans: 1
Length: 49'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1844
Builder: John W. Smith
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N44 26.424
Longitude: W072 40.792
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 1.8 miles south of jct VT108 on VT100, then 1.3 miles left on Gold Brook Rd. and just left on Covered Bridge Rd.

Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's Bridge, Stowe, Lamoille County, VT Built 1844
Bill Caswell Photo, September 1985

Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's Bridge, Stowe, Lamoille County, VT Built 1844
Richard Sanders Allen Photo, NSPCB Archives

Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's Bridge, Stowe, Lamoille County, VT Built 1844
Bill Caswell Photo, April 25, 2009

Stowe Hollow or Gold Brook or Emily 's Bridge, Stowe, Lamoille County, VT Built 1844
Bill Caswell Photo, September 29, 2013

Comments:
4-panel truss. This is the only Howe truss highway bridge in Vermont. There are at least three stories about how the name "Emily's Bridge" came about: (1) In the 1800's, Emily was jilted by her fiancé and hung herself from the rafters; (2) In 1925, homely Emily fell in love with Donald, who got her pregnant. When Emily's father insisted that Donald marry Emily, Donald killed himself here. After the birth of twins, Emily followed suit; and (3) (Date unknown) Emily died after her horse threw her here; she was on her way to her wedding. Another legend indicates that people named Emily or involved with an Emily met violent deaths at this bridge. Whatever the truth behind the name, there are numerous "eyewitness" accounts of Emily's ghost continuing to haunt the bridge. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1974.

Source:
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 144

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