Ashuelot River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashuelot River |
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View of the Ashuelot River, West Swanzey, New Hampshire. 1915 postcard
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Counties | Sullivan, Cheshire |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Butterfield Pond Washington 1,594 feet (486 m) 43°13′35″N 72°07′09″W / 43.2265°N 72.1193°W |
| River mouth | Connecticut River Hinsdale 187 feet (57 m) 42°46′20″N 72°29′15″W / 42.7723°N 72.4875°W |
| Length | 64 mi (103 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
The Ashuelot River is a river in southwestern New Hampshire, United States. It flows for about 64 miles (103 km). This river is a branch, or tributary, of the larger Connecticut River.
The Ashuelot River drains a large, mountainous area. This area is known as the Monadnock Region. The river is the longest tributary of the Connecticut River that is entirely within New Hampshire.
Contents
What Does Ashuelot Mean?
The name Ashuelot comes from a Native American word. It means "collection of many waters." This name describes how many streams and smaller rivers join together to form the Ashuelot River.
Where Does the Ashuelot River Flow?
The Ashuelot River starts from Butterfield Pond. This pond is located near Washington, New Hampshire, in Sullivan County. It's close to Sunapee Mountain.
The river then flows southwest. It passes through Ashuelot Pond and enters Cheshire County. It continues south past towns like Keene and Swanzey. The river also flows along the eastern side of the Pisgah Mountains.
At Winchester, the river turns west. This is about 3 miles (5 km) from the Massachusetts state line. It flows past the village of Ashuelot. Finally, the Ashuelot River joins the Connecticut River at Hinsdale. This is in the very southwest corner of New Hampshire.
The river is used to create hydroelectricity. This is done at several places like Marlow, Keene, Swanzey, and Hinsdale. The Ashuelot River is also part of a special program. This program helps bring back Atlantic Salmon fish.
Historic Covered Bridges
The Ashuelot River is known for its beautiful covered bridges. These bridges have roofs and sides, which protect the wooden structure from weather. Many of them are very old.
All the covered bridges over the Ashuelot River are special. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. Here are some of them, listed from the start of the river to its end:
- Carleton Bridge N.H. #7 - Located in Swanzey, New Hampshire (over the South Branch Ashuelot River)
- Sawyers Crossing Covered Bridge N.H. #6 - Also in Swanzey
- West Swanzey Covered Bridge N.H. #5 - Found in West Swanzey, New Hampshire
- Slate Covered Bridge N.H. #4 - Another bridge in Swanzey
- Coombs Covered Bridge N.H. #2 - Located in Winchester, New Hampshire
- Ashuelot Covered Bridge N.H. #1 - Found in Ashuelot, New Hampshire
Selected Tributaries
Many smaller streams and brooks flow into the Ashuelot River. These are called tributaries. Here are some of them, listed from the river's source to its mouth:
- Cherry Brook (this is part of the Ashuelot's beginning)
- Grassy Brook
- Dart Brook
- Thompson Brook
- The Branch/Beaver Brook
- Ash Swamp Brook
- South Branch Ashuelot River
- California Brook
- Wheelock Brook
- Mirey Brook
- Broad Brook
