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Sabin or Wolley, Windham County

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Inventory Number: VT/45-13-67x
County: Windham County
Township: Westminster
Town/Village: North Westminster
Bridge Name: Sabin or Wolley
Crosses: Saxtons River
Truss type: Town with Aux. Arches
Spans: 1
Length: 117'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1848
Builder: John Minard & Ransome Farnsworth
When Lost: 1940 or 1941
Cause: Replaced
Latitude: N43 07.35
Longitude: W072 27.78
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: On the road from Bellows Falls to Saxtons River (now VT121) where it dips slightly into Westminster.

Sabin or Wolley Bridge, Westminster, Windham County, VT Built 1848 Lost 1941
Richard E. Roy Collection

Sabin or Wolley Bridge, Westminster, Windham County, VT Built 1848 Replaced 1940 or 1941
Todd Clark Collection

Comments:
In 1848, the Windham County Court ordered the town to build the bridge. Westminster petitioned that the surrounding towns should share the costs since Westminster did not benefit from the bridge. In 1851, it was decided that Rockingham and Grafton had to pay a share. The bridge cost $1,788.05 to construct, of which Rockingham was ordered to pay $674.74 and Grafton $162.85 in addition to court costs. In 1940, the town voted for a new cement bridge. Per the Springfield Reporter, May 16, 1940, "SABIN BRIDGE Sabin bridge in Westminster is coming down and a large share of the traveling public will be grateful. Of course, it is a covered bridge and as such is entitled to some respect, but it is only one of 24 covered bridges in Windham county and is far from being a perfect specimen. Located on the load from Saxtons River to Bellows Falls, it carries a noteworthy amount of traffic and like many another covered bridge, is located at an awkward angle to the highway. The covered bridge builders did a good job in their way but they usually put up the shortest bridge possible, even if it meant a right-angle turn. The new bridge was constructed about 25 feet from the covered bridge and opened to traffic in June 1941. The old bridge was razed. Salvageable timbers were used to repair other covered bridges and the remainder burned on the bank of the river.

Sources:
Springfield Reporter, May 16, 1940.
Minard, M. Elizabeth. History of Westminster; 1941; Town of Westminster, page 146
NSPCB Archives, Richard Sanders Allen Collection, Paper Files, Vermont Lists & Maps, Folder 1
Allen, Richard S. & Morse Victor. Windham County's Famous Covered Bridges, 1960, pages 38-39
Conwill, Joseph D.. Images of America - Vermont Covered Bridges, 2004, page 55

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