Great Eddy Covered Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Great Eddy Covered Bridge, also called the Big Eddy Covered Bridge or Waitsfield Covered Bridge, is a wooden covered bridge
that crosses the Mad River
in Waitsfield, Vermont
on Bridge Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974.
The bridge is of burr arch truss design. A sign on the bridge also identifies it as the Village covered bridge, and most news accounts about it refer to it by that name. The name is appropriate as it is located right in the village of Waitsfield (whereas a vast majority of surviving covered bridges tend to be off the beaten path). The walkway is not original to the bridge, being added in 1940.
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Irene
on August 28, 2011, swelled the Mad River and caused significant flooding throughout Waitsfield and the surrounding area. By late afternoon on August 28, the flood water had eliminated any clearance the bridge had over the river. In spite of water pummeling the side of the bridge and lifting several nearby buildings off their foundations, however, the bridge survived. At last report this bridge has been closed due to damage to the abutments.
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
that crosses the Mad River
Mad River (Vermont)
The Mad River is a tributary to the Winooski River in Vermont. It has its headwaters in Granville Gulf, then flows north through the towns of Warren, Waitsfield, and Moretown before entering the Winooski River just downstream from Middlesex. Other towns within the Mad River watershed are the...
in Waitsfield, Vermont
Waitsfield, Vermont
Waitsfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,659 at the 2000 census. It was created by Vermont charter on February 25, 1782...
on Bridge Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974.
The bridge is of burr arch truss design. A sign on the bridge also identifies it as the Village covered bridge, and most news accounts about it refer to it by that name. The name is appropriate as it is located right in the village of Waitsfield (whereas a vast majority of surviving covered bridges tend to be off the beaten path). The walkway is not original to the bridge, being added in 1940.
Recent history
The bridge has had many repairs in recent history, probably owing to the frequent traffic on it. In 1973, 1989, 1992, and 2001 different repairs were made. The most recent repairs are documented on the VermontBridges.com website at (http://www.vermontbridges.com/waitsfld.htm).Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
on August 28, 2011, swelled the Mad River and caused significant flooding throughout Waitsfield and the surrounding area. By late afternoon on August 28, the flood water had eliminated any clearance the bridge had over the river. In spite of water pummeling the side of the bridge and lifting several nearby buildings off their foundations, however, the bridge survived. At last report this bridge has been closed due to damage to the abutments.