Dalton Covered Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dalton Covered Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in New Hampshire Show map of New Hampshire Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Joppa Road Warner, New Hampshire
Area	0.1 acres (0.040 ha)
Built	1853
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	panel truss
NRHP reference No.	76000221
Added to NRHP	November 21, 1976

The Dalton Covered Bridge is a special old bridge in Warner, New Hampshire. It's also called the Dalton Bridge. This historic bridge carries Joppa Road over the Warner River. It got its name from a lady, "Mrs. Dalton" or "Widow Dalton", who lived nearby when the bridge was built.

Discover the Dalton Covered Bridge

The Dalton Covered Bridge is a famous landmark. It helps people cross the Warner River safely. This bridge is important because it shows how bridges were built a long time ago.

Building a Historic Bridge

• The Dalton Covered Bridge was built in 1853.
• A local person named Joshua Sanborn built the main part of the bridge.
• The strong stone supports, called abutments, were built by George Sawyer and Webster Davis.
• All these builders were from the local area.

How Big is the Dalton Bridge?

• The main part of the bridge spans about 76 feet (23 meters) across the river.
• If you include the roof and ends, the total length is about 84 feet (25.6 meters).
• The bridge is about 17 feet (5.2 meters) wide.
• The road inside is about 14 feet (4.3 meters) wide.
• Guard rails make the usable road width just under 13 feet (4 meters).

Special Design Features

The Dalton Bridge uses a clever design to stay strong. It combines two types of support systems called trusses. These designs help the bridge hold heavy loads.

King Post and Queen Post Trusses

• The main support comes from a "king post" truss.
• Imagine a triangle shape with a vertical post in the middle. This is a king post truss.
• Iron bolts connect the vertical post to the other parts of the truss.
• This main support is helped by "queen post" trusses.
• Queen post trusses look like two triangles joined together, without a central vertical post.
• These queen post systems are on each side of the king post walls.

Materials and Look

• The bridge sits on strong supports made mostly of fieldstone.
• In the 1900s, concrete was added to the top of these stone supports.
• Iron rods help keep the bridge securely attached to its base.
• The outside walls of the bridge are made of vertical wooden boards.
• There are four windows on the sides.
• The roof is shaped like a triangle (gabled) and is made of corrugated metal.
• The outside walls were repaired in the 1960s to keep them in good shape.

A Recognized Landmark

The Dalton Covered Bridge is a very important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's recognized as a special place worth protecting for future generations.