Ashuelot Covered Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ashuelot Covered Bridge
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 119 and Bolton Rd., Ashuelot, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1864 |
| Architectural style | Town lattice truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000069 |
| Added to NRHP | February 20, 1981 |
The Ashuelot Covered Bridge is a really old and cool wooden bridge in Ashuelot, New Hampshire. It crosses the Ashuelot River and is found on Bolton Road, near NH 119. This bridge was built a long time ago, between 1864 and 1865. It's special because it's one of the few covered bridges from the 1800s still standing in New Hampshire! In 1981, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
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What Makes This Bridge Special?
The Ashuelot Covered Bridge is located in the middle of Ashuelot Village, which is part of Winchester, New Hampshire. It's a special kind of bridge called a Town lattice truss bridge. This means it uses a crisscross pattern of wooden beams to make it strong.
How Big Is the Bridge?
- The bridge has two main sections, making it 178 feet (54 m) long in total.
- It is 29 feet (8.8 m) wide, which is wide enough for a road in the middle.
- There are also sidewalks on each side, about 3 feet 10 inches wide.
- The bridge sits on strong stone supports called abutments and a central pier in the river.
- These supports have been made even stronger with concrete over the years.
- A metal "breakwater" protects the central pier from the river's flow.
- The bridge is about 11 feet 7 inches above the water.
Unique Design Features
Most covered bridges have sides that are fully covered to protect the wooden parts from weather. But the Ashuelot Covered Bridge is a bit different! Its sides are not completely covered. Instead, the roof extends out with long eaves, like a big overhang. The sides are only covered up to the height of the handrails on the walkways. This design still helps protect the important wooden structure inside.
A Look Back in Time: Bridge History
There was already a bridge at this spot before the current Ashuelot Covered Bridge was built. The town of Winchester started thinking about building a new one way back in 1853.
Building the Bridge
Finally, in 1864, the town decided to build the new bridge. It was finished and opened the very next year, in 1865. Building it cost $4,650, which was a lot of money back then!
Interestingly, when the bridge was repaired after the New England Hurricane of 1938, workers found older wooden beams inside. This suggests that parts of the old bridge might have been used to build the new one.
Why Was This Bridge Important?
The Ashuelot Covered Bridge was super important for the village. It was the main way to get between the village's train station (which was near the south end of the bridge) and the main part of the village on the north side of the river. It connected people and goods for many years!
