Hillsborough Railroad Bridge facts for kids
The Hillsborough Railroad Bridge was a special covered bridge in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. It crossed the Contoocook River. This bridge was built in 1903 for trains by the Boston and Maine Railroad. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in 1985. The bridge was so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. At that time, it was one of only six covered railroad bridges in New Hampshire.
Quick facts for kids |
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Hillsborough Railroad Bridge
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The bridge as seen on a 1907 postcard
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Spanning Contoocook River SW of NH 149, Hillsborough, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1903 |
| Architectural style | Town lattice truss |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000126 |
| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1975 |
Contents
Discovering the Bridge's Design
The Hillsborough Railroad Bridge was located in the main part of Hillsborough. It was just a short distance west of the road bridge for New Hampshire Route 149. This bridge had two main sections. It used a special design called a Town lattice truss. This design uses many crisscrossing wooden beams to make the bridge strong.
The bridge rested on strong stone supports at each end. There was also a wooden support in the middle. This wooden support replaced an older stone one that was washed away in a flood in 1938. The whole bridge was about 219 feet (67 meters) long. It had a pointed roof and its outside was covered with vertical wooden boards. Even though it had two sections, the main truss structure was one continuous piece. Some parts of the truss were made even stronger with iron bolts. There was also a sidewalk attached to one side, sticking out from the bridge.
A Look at the Bridge's Past
The Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) built this bridge in 1903. It was at least the second bridge to stand in that exact spot. The train tracks leading to the bridge were first laid around 1878. This was done by the Peterborough and Hillsborough Railroad Company. Their goal was to connect Hillsborough with Peterborough by train. However, that company soon faced money problems. Because of this, the B&M railroad took over the line.
The Bridge's Sad End
The Hillsborough Railroad Bridge was destroyed by a fire on October 30, 1985. The fire started around 11 p.m. and was believed to have been set on purpose. This was a sad loss for the community and for history. Another covered railroad bridge in New Hampshire, the Goffstown Covered Railroad Bridge, was also destroyed by a fire set on purpose.
Images for kids
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Only the bridge abutments survive today
