The Ottauquechee River forms the 165 foot deep, mile-long Quechee Gorge, which was cut through the hills at the end of the last Ice Age as the only outlet for a large glacial lake. The original bridge spanning the gorge was built in 1875 as a railroad bridge for the Woodstock Railroad. The steel arch bridge used today was built in 1911 as a railroad bridge until 1933, when the tracks were removed and Route 4 was to follow the same roadbed.