New Henniker Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Henniker BridgeNew Bridge |
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View looking north west - Covered Bridge, Spanning Contoocook River, Hopkinton, NH
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| Coordinates | 43°10′54″N 71°45′07″W / 43.181700°N 71.751880°W |
| Crosses | Contoocook River |
| Named for | New road to Henniker, New Hampshire |
| Owner | Town of Hopkinton |
| Historic American Buildings Survey | HABS NH-30 |
| Website | https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/nh0143/ |
| Preceded by | Stone arch bridge washed away in 1852 |
| Followed by | Steel truss bridge just north of it which is no longer in existence |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Briggs Truss |
| Material | Stone piers |
| Trough construction | Wood lattice and arch |
| Total length | 180 ft. |
| Width | 20 ft. |
| Height | 22 ft. |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| History | |
| Constructed by | John C. Briggs |
| Construction begin | 1863 |
| Construction cost | $2,500 |
| Rebuilt | 1935 |
| Closed | 1936 |
The New Henniker Bridge, also known as the New Bridge, was a special kind of bridge called a covered bridge. It was located in West Hopkinton, New Hampshire. This bridge helped people cross the Contoocook River on Henniker Road. It was built in 1863 and was the second bridge to stand in that spot.
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What Was the New Henniker Bridge?
The New Henniker Bridge was a type of truss bridge. A truss bridge uses a framework of triangles to make it strong. This bridge was also a covered bridge, meaning it had a roof and walls. This helped protect the wooden parts from weather like rain and snow.
Building the Bridge
The New Henniker Bridge was built in 1863. It was designed by John C. Briggs. The bridge cost about $2,500 to build, which was a lot of money back then!
The bridge was quite large. It was about 180 feet (55 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. It stood about 22 feet (6.7 m) tall. The bridge had one main section, or "span," that crossed the river.
How It Was Made
The bridge rested on strong stone supports called abutments. The main part of the bridge was made from wood. It used a special design called a Briggs Truss. This design used a pattern of wooden pieces that looked like a lattice (like a criss-cross pattern) combined with an arch shape. This made the bridge very sturdy.
A Bridge Replaced
The New Henniker Bridge was not the first bridge in this spot. An older stone arch bridge was built there in 1845. However, a big flood in 1852 washed that first bridge away. So, the New Henniker Bridge was built to replace it.
In 1935, the New Henniker Bridge itself was damaged by another flood. It was repaired so people could keep using it.
The End of the Covered Bridge
The New Henniker Bridge was used until 1936. At that time, a new steel truss bridge was built right next to it, just to the north. Once the new steel bridge was ready for traffic, the old covered bridge was taken down.
Images for kids
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View looking west with railroad line in the background
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Interior looking north west
