Brown Bridge

Built in 1880 and named after a Shrewsbury family, Brown Bridge is an exceptional illustration of 19th-century covered bridge construction and an outstanding example of a Town lattice truss, one of the most significant American timber truss types. Patented in 1820 by architect Ithiel Town, the truss system consists of a rectangular timber frame connected by sawn planks arranged in the form of a lattice and fastened together with wooden pegs. Brown Bridge is the best surviving example of the work of Nichols M. Powers, a prolific covered bridge builder from Clarendon. The bridge spans Cold River, using indigenous materials as its northwest abutment. Brown Bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service in 2014.