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Follett Stone Arch Bridge Historic District
The Follett Stone Arch Bridge Historic District encompasses a group of four stone arch bridges in southwestern Townshend, Vermont. All four bridges were built by James Otis Follett, a local self-taught mason, between 1894 and 1910, and represent the single greatest concentration of surviving bridges he built. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Description and history James Otis Follett was a local farmer, who apparently learned the craft of bridge-building from books and his experiences as a road commissioner. Between 1894 and his death in 1911 he is estimated to have built at least forty stone arch bridges, most in Townshend and immediately adjacent communities. This assemblage is particularly noteworthy, as most bridges of the time were being built using iron and steel. Southwest of Townshend's village center, crossing streams on the west side of the West River (Vermont), West River downstream of Townshend Dam are four of his brid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Townshend, Vermont
Townshend is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for the Townshend family, powerful figures in British politics. The population was 1,291 at the 2020 census. History The land grant for Townshend was chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth, on June 20, 1753. The town was named after Charles Townshend, the Secretary of War under King George III. Between 1755 and 1761, plans and occupation of Townshend were abandoned due to the impact of the French and Indian War. The grant had required the settlement of the town within five years, so in August of 1762, Townshend was regranted under the same stipulations by Governor Wentworth. However, proprietors had already begun meeting again in 1761, and settlement of the town was led by proprietor John Hazeltine in May of that year. The western boundary of New Hampshire was obscure, and there was controversy over whether the area around Townshend was under jurisdiction of the colony of New Hampsh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |