New England College Bridge
No. 63
Built in 1971-1972 by Milton S. Graton and his son Arnold of Graton Associates, Inc., the New England College Covered Bridge spans the Contoocook River in Henniker. The 150-foot Town lattice truss was designed by Lieutenant Colonel Wilbar M. Hoxie and constructed using traditional nineteenth-century methods. The trusses were built on the north side of the river and pulled into place by a team of oxen, a process that took three and a half days. The bridge was dedicated in May 1972 during a week-long celebration attended by nearly 3,000 people.
After vandalism and deterioration led to repairs in the 2000s, the bridge was renovated in 2009 through private donations and remains a pedestrian bridge on the New England College campus.
New England College Bridge Photo Album
Arnold M. Graton Podcast Episode
The Master Bridgewright Arnold M. Graton
Kim talks with master bridgewright Arnold M. Graton of Holderness about his long career preserving and restoring historic structures, most notably, covered bridges. Arnold shares his experiences utilizing nineteenth-century construction to both restore, and build, new covered bridges, not only in New Hampshire but across the country. This is a rare interview with a true master whose impact on the New Hampshire covered bridge community is without precedence.
