Hancock–Greenfield Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hancock-Greenfield Bridge
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Hancock-Greenfield Bridge spanning Contoocook River, carrying Forest Road
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Forest Rd. over the Contoocook River, Greenfield and Hancock, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1937 |
| Architect | John W. Childs |
| Architectural style | Teco-Pratt timber truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000071 |
| Added to NRHP | May 05, 1981 |
The Hancock-Greenfield Bridge is a special old covered bridge in New Hampshire. It carries Forest Road over the Contoocook River. This river forms the border between the towns of Hancock and Greenfield. People sometimes call it the County Bridge. It was built in 1937. This bridge was the first wooden covered bridge in the Northeast to use a new, strong design called a Teco-Pratt truss. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
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About This Special Bridge
The Hancock-Greenfield Bridge helps Forest Road cross the Contoocook River. This river marks the edge between Hancock and Greenfield towns. The bridge is a single span, meaning it crosses the river in one big jump.
How Big Is It?
The bridge is about 88 feet (27 meters) long. It is 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide. Inside, there's enough room for things up to 14 feet (4.3 meters) tall to pass through. The road part is 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide and can fit two lanes of traffic.
What Is It Made Of?
The roof of the bridge is covered with asphalt. Its sides are made of vertical wooden boards. Inside, the main support beams are connected by a special crisscross pattern. This makes the whole bridge act like one strong box. The road itself is asphalt laid over horizontal wooden beams. All the main connections are made stronger with steel plates and pins.
A Bit of Bridge History
This bridge was built in 1937. It replaced an older covered bridge from 1852. The old bridge was badly damaged by a big flood in 1936.
New Technology for Bridges
The Timber Engineering Company helped design this new bridge. They provided special connecting parts that made the bridge much stronger. They had first shared these plans in 1935. After World War II, most new bridges started to be built with steel. Steel bridges were often cheaper to build than these special wooden ones.
