Covered Bridges on Two Wheels
A photographic journey to Vermont's Covered Bridges
Lumber Mill Bridge
Current Status: Open
Location: Belvidere, on Back Road
Crosses: North Branch of the Lamoille River
GPS: 44.743625N, 72.741534W
Built: 1895 Length: 70.5 feet
Truss Design: Queenpost
WGN*: VT-08-06 NRHP**: Yes
* WGN: World Guide to Covered Bridges Number
**NRHP: Listed on National Register of Historic Places
The Lumber Mill Bridge is located in the quiet town of Belvidere less than a mile away from the Morgan Covered Bridge. The use of the word "Mill" in a bridge name is widespread throughout the United States, not just in Vermont. You'll see it several times here in these pages. Not surprisingly then, there is another "Mill Bridge" in Tunbridge, Vermont that should not be confused with this one. Perhaps that is why this bridge is more commonly known as the Lumber Mill Bridge, when its "official name" is the Mill Bridge. Both names derive from the fact that a tub factory and lumber mill were located at this site.
The bridge has also been known as the Junction Bridge (for the locality of Belvidere Junction nearby), the Lower Bridge (because it is the downstream bridge of the two within the town), and the Montgomery Bridge. The source of this last name is unknown, but it could be for a landowner. It also confuses things that there is a Montgomery Covered Bridge in nearby Waterville.
This queenpost truss bridge suffered a major blow in 1971 when a snow plow broke through the floor. The repaired bridge was strengthened with four steel beams under the floor and new concrete abutments. At that time, the trusses were also disconnected from the floor so that they no longer support the live load of the bridge. In 1995, further repairs were made to the trusses.
Sometimes, the interior structures of bridges are modified to discourage climbing up on the trusses, usually by installing some kind of fencing. In this case, it seems that exploration is encouraged as under the two windows (one on each side of the bridge) a small platform has been built behind the guardrail. These perches give you a nice view out the windows to the river below.
Visiting the bridge:
The Mill Bridge in Belvidere is on a back road... literally. The name of the road is Back Road! And it lives up to its name as it is narrow and unpaved. Not the worst road I've ever seen in Vermont, but certainly requires a little extra care if traveling by motorcycle. The bridge is about a half-mile from the nearest blacktop. Surprisingly, a search reveals that this is the only "Back Road" in Vermont. I would have thought that to be a more popular name. Anyway...
There is a small turnout on the north side of the bridge (as seen in the photo with my bike). For motorcyclists, I found this area to be pretty soft, so it may take you a while to find a suitable place to put down your kickstand. You may even want to carry a kickstand coaster with you, if you don't normally.
If you are coming from the nearby Morgan Bridge, you'll have to travel an additional seven tenths of a mile on the soft dirt of the Back Road.
The bridge is relatively narrow for a covered bridge, so crossing it on foot should be done with caution. When I visited, it was very quiet traffic-wise, so the odds of having to deal with a vehicle inside the bridge are probably pretty low. You could always jump onto the little window platforms if you have to.