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Ryder, Windham County

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Inventory Number: VT/45-13-34x
County: Windham County
Township: Grafton
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Ryder
Crosses: Saxtons River
Truss type: Queen
Spans: 1
Length:
Roadway Width:
Built: 1870
Builder:
When Lost: 10 Dec 1878
Cause: Freshet
Latitude: N43 09.95
Longitude: W072 34.61
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Topographic map of the area
Directions: Southeast of Grafton.

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Comments:
It was between Grafton village and Cambridgeport. Built after the great flood of 1869 destroyed the previous bridge. Per the Vermont Phoenix (Brattleboro), December 20, 1878, "Grafton. ---The freshet of Tuesday surpassed anything ever realized here, except that of 1869. The bridge half way between this place and Cambridgeport, known as the Rider bridge, is gone; also the one near the mill of Butterfield & Smith. A temporary bridge has been thrown across the stream a little above Cambridgeport, and it is thought the Rider bridge will be up by the 20th of this month, and travel again take its accustomed route." Per The Londonderry Sifter, October 1, 1885, "GRAFTON.----The new covered bridge, two miles below our village, has been completed." Ryder covered bridge was more than two miles downstream but is the more likely of the bridges. Per The Brattleboro Reformer, September 27, 1938, "Windham county's roster of covered bridge was reduced to 24 by last week's flood. Those swept away were: Center bridge in Wardsboro; Brookside bridge in Newfane; West Dover bridge and Ryder bridge in Grafton." Per the Springfield Reporter, September 29, 1938, "The first new cement bridge beyond Cambrldgeport is apparently not damaged although the approach from the Cambrldgeport end is very badly washed out for several hundred feet. The old Ryder covered bridge was completely taken out by the flood. The Walker bridge completed only last year settled at one end and there is some conjecture as to what methods will be used to make the abutments solid again. Both approaches are badly washed out."

Source:
Vermont Phoenix (Brattleboro), December 20, 1878.

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