Saco River Bridge

No. 48

Built in 1890 by Charles A. Broughton and his son Frank, the Saco River Covered Bridge spans the Saco River in Conway. An earlier covered bridge at the site had been destroyed in the Great Freshet of 1869, and the replacement was itself destroyed by fire on June 21, 1890, when a nearby factory fire spread to the toll house and bridge. The Broughtons constructed the present two-span bridge later that year for a total cost of $4,392.63.

The Saco River Bridge carried Route 16 traffic until it was bypassed before 1960. A major rehabilitation by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation was completed in 1989, including extensive timber replacement, rebuilt abutments, a strengthened granite pier, new decking and siding, and a new red metal roof. Additional fire protection was installed in 2001-2003.