As we continue our stay in Wilmington, we’re definitely not couch-potatoes with so much to see and so little time! This post covers some random stops and a plethora of covered bridges that we found in the vicinity.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Fall for New England 2021.

Our Scavenger Hunt

Upon checkin we spotted one of those maps that look hand-drawn. Don’t you just love those maps? Things are “kind of” to scale (not really). But they show many places of interest in the town itself, but also en route to surrounding areas. Between maps and Google, Jim can make an itinerary out of the most random destinations, and here in Vermont was no exception.

Our first day trip took us on a windy, dirt shortcut to Scott Bridge. We drove up on the end with no nameplate, probably because most folks visit from the paved Hwy. 30 end. The dirt road was in excellent condition and it definitely shortened up our journey, so it turned out to be a wise choice.

Scott Bridge was built in 1870 and at 277 feet, it’s the longest wooden span in Vermont. After several failed attempts to strengthen the bridge during its long life, it was closed to vehicle traffic. We walked through the bridge and over the West River for another vantage point and a sign with more information.

Weathered is Good

We found this no-name bridge on Island Lane near Jamaica. This well-used bridge quickly became our favorite because of its weathered appearance and the wide-openness of it. We had to move for several cars arriving back to the homesites that were tucked back into the woods. We have no information on this one, but it was a great spot for some nice pictures. Since Jim was wearing sturdier shoes, he braved the banks of the creek to gain better positioning for the last photo.

Off Season, Shorter Hours

We took a drive through Mount Snow Ski Resort to check it out, grab a beer at the Snow Republic Brewery and visit the Dover Historical Society & The Harris House Museum. Shorter off-season hours hosed us today, so we set our sites on another trip back in the next few days for that beer and museum. We took a picture of the Grand Summit Resort (because it was awesome) and had some Brick Oven pizza and a sweet tea at Pizzeria La Toscanella in West Dover instead. The drawing above our table shows the ski runs at Mount Snow, with the Grand Summit front and center.

Red, Red Everywhere

I made the mistake of being slightly disappointed that both of the bridges we saw yesterday had that weathered look. When we flipped that map over to the Bennington side, the bridges were much easier to spot given their bright red color. As it turned out, all of the covered bridges we saw that day were red, which meant a lot of repetition. I was finding myself longing for a different color for heaven’s sake, but it was still fun finding them and playing the tourist. And they were at least slightly different from each other – well most of them were.

We started the day off at the West Arlington Covered Bridge – one of the most photographed and painted bridges in the area. Constructed in 1852, it spans the Batten Kill River. Driving through the bridge, the view opens up to a church, a one room schoolhouse, several fabulous homes and a sprawling farm in the beautiful valley. It was a lovely little settlement with lots of photo opps.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have photographed at least one of those fabulous homes, since Norman Rockwell lived in Arlington from 1939 to 1953 in this very valley! Rockwell’s Retreat is available for intimate romantic getaways or whole-inn family rentals. (7 suites total). I think a re-visit is in order!

Slow Down!

Chiselville Covered Bridge spans the Roaring Branch River and threatens a one dollar fine for driving faster than a walk on its bridge, but there was no enforcement. Too bad, because they could make some serious cash! We had to be very careful exploring this bridge and soon thought better of trying to get any inside shots.

All Aboard!

As we drove by North Bennington Station I just had to stop! Who could pass by this charming railroad station without a closer look? Not me – especially with that stout little man out front worried about getting to work on time!

This station was built in 1880 by Trenor W. Park, who amassed his fortune in San Francisco. When he returned to Vermont, he started building “one of the truly grand Victorian mansions of New England“. Once he founded a bank and provided railroad connections to Boston, Maine and New York City, his negotiating skills with the state legislature helped establish North Bennington as a separate municipality. Even though this station was “more pretentious than one might expect for a village the size of North Bennington”, he needed a pretty snazzy station to keep up his snazzy reputation.

The station became dilapidated after passenger service was discontinued in the 1950s, but the citizens of North Bennington rescued it from demolition. The station was restored and now is the location of the town offices.

Henry x2

The original Henry Bridge was built over the Walloomsac River in 1840 and was supported by Town lattice trusses – a great technological advance at the time over other designs. As a testimony to its strength, wagonloads of iron ore were transported over the bridge from the Burden Iron Company mines to their washing works in North Bennington during the 1860s and 70s.

Today’s Henry Bridge was re-built in 1989 and is a replica of Ithiel Town’s original design. I’m not sure which I like better – the Henry Bridge or the Henry House. I think both are fantastic.

Paper Mill and Silk Road

Two other covered bridges – the Paper Mill and the Silk Road – also cross the Walloomsac River two miles upstream and look like the same exact design as the Henry (above).

A Little History

This obelisk was visible from all around, so we stopped when we ended up driving right near Monument Circle in Bennington. This beautiful park paid homage to the Revolutionary War battle with a monument and a statue of Brigadier General John Stark, victor of the Battle at Bennington 1777.

Pause and Refresh

We finally got the beers we’ve been looking forward to for days, along with fried brussels sprouts at Madison Brewing Company in Bennington. There was outside seating upstairs, but with the looks of the sky we decided against it. Great beers, great snacks, and another great day in Vermont. Cheers!

Next up: The Hundred Mile View

Happy trails,
Barb