Best Covered Bridge
West Windsor, VT
WGN Number: 45-14-10
Photo by Joe Nelson © 1997
Best Bridge is thought to have been built around thirty years earlier than its nearby Bowers Bridge twin. The arches were originally constructed of a laminate of five planks - two more were recently added to the bows. This is one of the three remaining tied-arch covered bridges in the state according to the Covered Spans of Yesteryear website. The other two are the Bowers Bridge and the Lake Shore Bridge in Charlotte.
The construction details for this bridge are interesting. Covered Spans of Yesteryear provides the following construction information: "The chords are suspended from a series of iron rods connected to the low arch. The truss is covered by a post-and-beam shed set on the bridge deck".
A historical note from Ed Barna recalls that in 1973 a freshet "weakened the original stone abutments, which were then strengthened with concrete". (Barna, E. (1996) Covered Bridges of Vermont. Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press. pg. 137). According to Covered Spans of Yesteryear, the bridge was refurbished in 1991.
Our thanks to the Town of West Windsor for allowing the posting of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society Welcome patch. For more information about the West Windsor area visit their website at www.westwindsorvt.govoffice2.com.
Best's Covered Bridge Vital Statistics
| Town: | West Windsor |
| Location: | Churchill Road |
| Crossing: | Mill Brook |
| Date: | 1889 |
| Builder: | A. W. Swallows |
| Truss Type: | Tied arch |
| Truss Length: | 37 feet |
| Other Names: | Swallows |
| National Register of Historical Places Listing Date: | July 2, 1973 |
| Date Restored: | 1991 |
| Restoration Contractor: | Unknown |
Credits: All pictures, information and descriptions are taken from Spanning Time Vermont's Covered Bridges by Joseph C. Nelson ©1997 and the World Guide to Covered Bridges - 2009 unless otherwise specified.
