Bartonsville Bridge In Vermont Washed Away By Tropical Storm Irene (VIDEO)

A dramatic display of the damage brought by Tropical Storm Irene was caught on camera when a historic bridge in Bartonsville, Vermont was swept away by floods.

Raging floodwaters washed away the lattice truss covered bridge, built by Sanford Grangers in 1870, according to Bridgehunter.com. For 141 years, it spanned 151 feet over Williams River. Its final moments were filmed by Susan Hammond of Lower Bartonsville, according to WLBZ2.com

There are no reports that anyone was on the bridge at the time.

According to the Associated Press, this has been the worst flooding Vermont has seen in a century.

Gov. Peter Shumlin said, "We prepared for the worst and we got the worst in central and southern Vermont." There have been deaths, road closures, communities without power, and at least three historic bridges have been destroyed.

HuffPost's Joshua Hersh reports that "Large parts of the towns of Brattleboro and Bennington were entirely underwater, according to local reports."

Vermont Emergency Management has asked people to avoid travel due to significant flooding, damage to roads, debris and downed power lines across the state.

WATCH (warning: profane language):

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Comments

[pitciarn]

12:47 PM on 08/31/2011

This Video should be viwed by all those fools that thought Irene was just a leaf-blower !! Some parts of the East coast only experinced high winds and downded power lines, while others were SLAMMED (Cape Hatteras,Vermont, etc...)

[Aleks Hunter]

06:57 PM on 08/30/2011

Was down there today. Hopefully they can salvage some of the original bridge timbers for rebuilding.

[jonathanu]

10:54 AM on 08/30/2011

They can rebuild the bridge, and I hope they will. But they can't bring back the 40 people who died in this storm.

[Peter Boehringer]

10:14 PM on 08/29/2011

I lived in Berkshire County, MA, just south of Bennington, VT. I can tell you this: I know from experience that there are enough craftmen and craftwomen in VT with the skills to rebuild the bridge... and they will. And being the Vermont Yankees they are, they won't whine about having to do it. A hundred years from now people will look at the bridge and admire the skills of the people who built it.

[vtmilitia]

11:16 PM on 08/29/2011

Thanks for the complement. Jim Cantore(Weather Channel) is from up there and said the bridge was replaced back in the '80's as were two of the covered bridges in Bennington

[Javida]

10:07 PM on 08/29/2011

Why was the video of AC posted??? Just ordinary wind of a hurricane. Now the one of the bridge is worth a post. Kinda funny though, but I'm sure the sentimental folks of Vt will miss it. Condolences.

[blackiefalcon]

09:50 PM on 08/29/2011

Dont worry obama just approved a stimulus to rebuild roads and bridges ........again

[axt113]

11:45 PM on 08/29/2011

If we had been rebuilding our infrastructure from the start, we wouldn't be in this economic downturn, but the GOP hates infrastructure and jobs

[gted1954]

05:23 AM on 08/30/2011

The GOP hates everything that benefits the people. Except things that benefit wealthy people.

[babaganoush9]

09:34 PM on 08/29/2011

That 6 hours of Atlantic city was as exciting as watching an ice cube melt. Thanks for the post.

[jpoonilikit]

08:37 PM on 08/29/2011

whats the name of that song..."like a bridge over troubled water?"

[keezze]

08:26 PM on 08/29/2011

One day when our society is more unified and serious about important issues. We will learn how to build better infrstructure, move water around and power so that instead of looking at our lands as divided by 50 states, red and blue but as one entity where borders dont define the ability to use our resources economically, efficiently and practially. And smart land use and safety of our citizens are a priority.

[hoochiepap]

08:30 PM on 08/29/2011

Since this bridge was made out of wood and probably well over 100 years old, your comment is about as goofy as Goofy.

[vtmilitia]

11:18 PM on 08/29/2011

It was rebuilt in the '80's.

[liberalbug]

08:47 PM on 08/29/2011

What the heck does what you are saying have to do with a pretty old bridge being swept away in an epic rainstorm?

[taconicgm09]

07:58 PM on 08/29/2011

I have to say this is pretty awesome to see. The reaction of the woman is a little funny as well. I cant see in the video but maybe there is a car or person on it which may have made her have the reaction she did... Well on the flip side at least they will get a new bridge...

[babaganoush9]

09:19 PM on 08/29/2011

In New Hampshire and Vermont, we Really do like to replace our old covered bridges with identical reproductions of the originals. A 'new' bridge would be a shame.

[Jimm Milenski]

07:37 PM on 08/29/2011

Born 1870, Died 2011. Damn good longevity.
Show me one bridge that's lasted half as long nowadays.

[Aleks Hunter]

02:58 PM on 08/30/2011

Yeah, none of the bridges built since WWII have lasted even half as long!

[darkflite]

07:16 PM on 08/29/2011

Now that is a real shame. A valuable part of local history is gone.

[Jasper Jackson]

06:54 PM on 08/29/2011

I guess folks in Vermont have lost the ability to rebuild a bridge this complicated.

[exitBxC]

07:36 PM on 08/29/2011

I guess some predictable blowhard named Jasper Jackson has lost the ability to grasp the notion of history & community?

[cedy]

09:54 PM on 08/29/2011

Oh don't be so tough like, nature grew the wood, man built the bridge, nature destroyed the bridge, man -- rebuilds it. No need to talk bad about someone who is stating the obvious. It's not that the people of vermont can't rebuilt it, but the all the whining he is talking about.

[castcutters]

08:00 PM on 08/29/2011

Yes we can rebuild the World Trade Center but we've lost the ability to rebuild a wooden bridge.

[Aleks Hunter]

02:55 PM on 08/30/2011

That wooden bridge will be up and carrying traffic long before the World trade center is occupied, and the WTC had a ten year head start and an almost bottomless budget.

[Dantee]

06:47 PM on 08/29/2011

Made me sad. And I live way down here in the Desert Southwest!

[ABQ-Mike]

06:38 PM on 08/29/2011

Notice the incredibly quaint way that the quaint thing sort of quaintly folds up on itself. It's just so, so, so............ Quaint.