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North Chester or Mill, Windsor County

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Inventory Number: VT/45-14-42x
County: Windsor County
Township: Chester
Town/Village: North Chester
Bridge Name: North Chester or Mill
Crosses: Williams River
Truss type: Town
Spans: 1
Length:
Roadway Width:
Built: 1852
Builder: possibly Nichols M. Powers
When Lost: Sept 1938
Cause: Hurricane/Flood
Latitude: N43 16.55
Longitude: W072 35.96
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: Church Street, north of Chester between Route 103 and the railroad crossing.

North Chester or Mill Bridge, Chester, Windsor County, VT Built 1852 Lost 1938
Raymond Brainerd Photo, July 22, 1935

Comments:
Per the Rutland Daily Herald, September 29, 1869, "BRIDGE FALLEN.---On Monday last the long covered bridge over Williams River near the residence of H. Morris [VT-14-122?], in Chester, fell into the stream while a drove of cattle was crossing it. One ox was killed outright, and several young cattle were severely injured. The bridge is a total wreck, and it will cost nearly two thousand dollars to replace the same. A similar accident befell the bridge near P. O. Sargent's [VT-14-42], in Chester, not longer since. We think it might be well for the people of Chester to have a bridge examiner, if the town officials do not consider it a part of their duty to see to bridges as well as highways." The bridge was evidently repaired. Per The Vermont Tribune (Ludlow), November 20, 1896, "The Union Soapstone Co., after the summer of idleness at the mill, have thoroughly repaired the stone mill at the crossing on South street road and largely built over the north branch dam above the covered bridge and are now running the mill with two sets of saws and have increased their business so that it takes ten horses to haul the stones from the quarries to the mill at the crossing and at the depot." This was the last remaining covered bridge in Chester. It had long, narrow opening on both sides with an eave projecting the full length. The bridge was lost during the 1938 hurricane.

Sources:
The Vermont Tribune (Ludlow), November 20, 1896.
Rutland Daily Herald, September 29, 1869.
Allen, Richard Sanders. Rare Old Covered Bridges of Windsor County, VT, 1962, page 10
Conwill, Joseph D.. Images of America - Vermont Covered Bridges, 2004, page 61

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