Durgin Bridge
No. 45
The Durgin Covered Bridge spans the Cold River in Sandwich and has been the town’s only remaining covered bridge since the Taylor Bridge was removed in 1903. After earlier bridges at the site were destroyed by repeated floods, the current bridge was rebuilt in 1869 by Jacob Berry, although it is unclear whether Jacob E. Berry or his son, Jacob H. Berry, completed the work. Berry removed the center pier and raised the bridge significantly to protect it from future flooding.
In 1966, Milton S. Graton and his son Arnold strengthened the Durgin Covered Bridge with laminated arches rather than the proposed steel beams. Additional repairs followed in 1984, and Arnold M. Graton returned after vehicle strikes in 2008, 2014, and 2017.
Durgin Bridge Podcast Episode
The Durgin Family with Jim Mykland
Kim interviews Sandwich Historical Society Director Jim Mykland about the Durgin family of Sandwich and their namesake covered bridge. Learn about the Durgin’s influence on the political climate of Sandwich in the mid-nineteenth century as well as their role in the Underground Railroad.
The Bridgewrights Berry Article
Durgin Bridge Photo Album
