Covered Bridges on Two Wheels
A photographic journey to Vermont's Covered Bridges
Arlington Green Bridge
Current Status: Open
Location: West Arlington, on Covered Bridge Road
Crosses: Batten Kill
GPS: 43.104363N, 73.220387W
Built: 1852 Length: 84 feet
Truss Design: Town lattice
WGN*: VT-02-01 NRHP**: Yes
* WGN: World Guide to Covered Bridges Number
**NRHP: Listed on National Register of Historic Places
Arlington Green Bridge (also known as the West Arlington Bridge) is located in West Arlington... on the green. I guess that leaves little wonder how the bridge got it's names. You may also see it referred to as the Bridge-on-the-Green or simply the Arlington Bridge. Just variants of the same name. Arlington Green is how it is known in the National Register of Historic Places.
Its location in a wide open area lends itself to easy photography, and the Green is very picturesque.
Some say that it is Vermont's most photographed covered bridge. It probably helps that within walking distance is the former home of famous artist Norman Rockwell. It is now the Inn on Arlington Green.
This Town lattice bridge has one feature that, while not unheard of, is not that common. Steel cables are attached to the sides of the bridge to help stabilize it. This area is prone to high winds roaring through the Batten Kill Valley, and the cables help keep the bridge from blowing off its abutments. While it might sound unlikely that that could ever happen, it actually did. Right after the bridge was first built, it was toppled over by high winds, but remained intact. So much so that people were reportedly still able to walk and drive across the bridge, as it lay on its side in the river! A testament to solid engineering. It was too heavy to lift into place with the machinery of the time, so it was taken apart and rebuilt back in place with the same materials.
On August 28, 2011, the State of Vermont suffered major flooding due to the passage of Tropical Storm Irene. The flooding claimed one covered bridge (Bartonsville) and damaged many others. The Arlington Bridge took a hit from a tree floating downriver and the fact that it has those cables to stabilize the bridge just might have saved it from being knocked off the abutments by the impact. It was closed for a while to repair the damage, but I haven't been able to find out just what repairs were needed.
A little trivia...
It is technically incorrect to refer to the waterway that the Arlington Green Bridge crosses as the "Batten Kill River" or "Battenkill River" as is often seen. The term "kill" is from the Dutch, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel". Thus, saying "kill" is equivalent to saying "river". The proper name for the river is simply the "Batten Kill", just as you would say "Mississippi River" or "Old Mill Stream".
On the right, you can play a video of the bridge being hit. Also, notice how high the water is, and compare that to its normal level when you visit. If you are offended by swearing (or your kids are present), be aware that some woman witnessing the event drops the F-bomb right near the end.
You may notice in the video, and in the interior photos of my slideshow, that the Town lattice trusses have been covered in fencing and the open areas above the trusses have chicken wire on them. The water under the bridge is normally calm and a nice depth for jumping into from the bridge. Liability concerns have prompted the fencing and a warning sign to prevent kids from climbing up the trusses and jumping off the bridge.
Visiting the bridge:
This bridge is easy to find, right off Route 313. There is ample parking in a small lot adjacent to the bridge on Route 313, and also on the other side of the bridge next to the West Arlington Methodist Church. This area is popular with fly-fishermen, hence the parking areas.
The bridge is not overly wide, so keep an eye on traffic if you plan to walk through it as this is a popular tourist destination.
If the water is not running too high, you can take a short stairway from the church parking area down to the riverbank and then underneath the bridge for some up-close inspection of construction techniques.