New Henniker Bridge

New Henniker Bridge or New Bridge was a covered bridge in West Hopkinton, New Hampshire, which carried Henniker Road over the Contoocook River. The truss bridge was completed in 1863, and was the second bridge on the site. The original stone arch bridge was built in 1845 and was washed away by flood in 1852. The bridge was just over 20 feet (6.1 m) wide and 180 feet (55 m) long, and consisted of a single span supported by two triple lattice trusses resting on granite abutments. The patent drawings show an all-timber truss with fixed intersection angles in the center of the span. At the ends of the span the angles of the diagonals vary. The end post is vertical, and each brace further from it is sloped a little more.[1][2]

New Henniker Bridge

New Bridge
View looking north west - Covered Bridge, Spanning Contoocook River, Hopkinton, NH
Coordinates43.181700°N 71.751880°W / 43.181700; -71.751880
CrossesContoocook River
Named forNew road to Henniker, New Hampshire
OwnerTown of Hopkinton
Historic American Buildings SurveyHABS NH-30
Websitewww.loc.gov/pictures/item/nh0143/
Preceded byStone arch bridge washed away in 1852
Followed bySteel truss bridge just north of it which is no longer in existence
Characteristics
DesignBriggs Truss
MaterialStone piers
Trough constructionWood lattice and arch
Total length180 ft.
Width20 ft.
Height22 ft.
No. of spans1
History
Constructed byJohn C. Briggs
Construction start1863
Construction cost$2,500
Rebuilt1935
Closed1936
Location

In 1935 the bridge had sustained damage during a flood and was repaired. The bridge was utilized until 1936 when a steel truss bridge was built adjoining it to the north and ready for traffic. The covered bridge was then destroyed.[3]

  • View looking west with railroad line in the background
  • Interior looking north west

References
  1. "Henniker Road Covered Bridge 29-07-62x". Dave King, Will Truax. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  2. "Henniker Road, Merrimack County". Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  3. "HABS NH-30" (PDF). Eugene W. Clark. Historic American Buildings Survey. December 1937. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
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