Contoocook Railroad Bridge
No. 10
Built in 1889, the Contoocook Railroad Bridge is the oldest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world. The 300-foot double Town lattice truss replaced an earlier railroad bridge built in 1850 and was designed to carry heavier trains. Built primarily of locally sourced eastern spruce, the bridge rests on granite abutments with a skewed central pier and masonry icebreaker. The bridge was washed from its abutments during the Great Flood of 1936 but was recovered and reset by railroad crews.
After railroad service ended, it was used as a warehouse until 1990, when it was given to the State of New Hampshire. In 2006, the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, working with Barns and Bridges of New England and DCF Engineering, completed major structural repairs. Additional fire protection was installed in 2009, and the bridge remains open to pedestrians.
Contoocook Railroad Bridge Video
Contoocook Railroad Bridge Podcast Episode
The Covered Bridges of the Boston & Maine Railroad with Rick Kfoury
Kim speaks with Rick Kfoury, President of the Boston and Maine Railroad Historical Society. Rick shares insight into New Hampshire’s remaining covered railroad bridges, the influence of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and the historical context behind these rare surviving structures.
Contoocook Railroad Bridge Photo Album
