Bath Covered Bridge - Bath, NH
Posted by: Vermontish
N 44° 10.003 W 071° 58.060
19T E 262733 N 4894673
Oldest covered bridge still in use in New Hampshire
Waymark Code: WMAK0B
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 01/23/2011
Views: 13
The fifth bridge to stand on this site, the first constructed in 1794 at a cost of $366.66, destroyed by a flood and replaced in 1806 at a cost of $1,000.
The second and third bridges were also destroyed by floods but immediately replaced in 1820 and again in 1824.
The fourth was destroyed by fire in late 1830, and this fifth bridge was completed by early 1832, costing nearly five times as much as the original.
When first built, it had hewn arches. New overlapping arches were added when the bridge was raised over the railroad in 1920.
It was believed that the impact of trotting horses could cause the structure to fall apart, so town officials posted a speed limit (this was not uncommon; a "horses to a walk" sign can be found on various New England covered bridges).