Skip to main content

Gilsum Stone Arch Bridge

Image
By
Heading north on NH State Route 10 from Keene is the Cheshire County town of Gilsum. Chartered in 1763 to the Gilbert and Sumner families, one of the things that Gilsum is best known for is its stone arch bridge over the Ashuelot River, which was built in 1863 without the use of mortar. With an arch that averages 36'-6" above the river, the Gilsum Stone Arch Bridge has the highest vault of any dry laid bridge in the State of New Hampshire.

A historical plaque greets visitors to the bridge and gives a little background about its history.

View of the bridge from the western bank of the Ashuelot River, which gives you a good idea of the height of the bridge.

Another view of the bridge that crosses the Ashuelot. I find the arch to be rather impressive.
View of Surry Rd., which is the thoroughfare that the bridge carries in modern times. At the end of Surry Rd. is NH 10.

View of the Ashuelot River gorge, looking south from the bridge.

View of the Ashuelot River gorge, looking north from the bridge.
Gilsum is also home of the Gilsum Rock Swap and is the town where the mother of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon faith, was born.

Sources and Links:
Bridgehunter - Gilsum Stone Arch Bridge 
Roadside History: Gilsum Stone Arch Bridge
American Whitewater - Ashuelot River
Gilsum Recreation Committee - Town of Gilsum, New Hampshire 
Ware Family Association - Gilsum, New Hampshire

 How to Get There:
Labels:
Location: 542 Gilsum Rd, Gilsum, NH 03448, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rep. Sue Myrick's letter to Gov. Easley and Sect. Tippett published in Charlotte Observer

By
US. Representative Sue Myrick's (R-Charlotte) letter to North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley and NC Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett was published in the Friday, November 30th edition of the Charlotte Observer . Why are we delaying the completion of 1-485 in Charlotte again? I read in The Charlotte Observer how rising prices of materials are leading to the delay. Why didn't these same rising costs delay the loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington? Why are we building loops in Fayetteville and Wilmington before we complete the one in Charlotte? We were working on the one in Charlotte back when I was mayor. That was 20 years ago! ... Last I looked Charlotte was the largest city in the state. There seems to be no recognition of that fact in Raleigh. No recognition that we are at a standstill with traffic. No recognition that we have a traffic problem. Nor is there any recognition of the fact that the state DOT utterly botched up the southern leg of our yet to be completed ...
Post a Comment
Read more

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

By
The New River, which runs through New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, is best known for its dramatic rapids and whitewater adventures.  Those features begin at one of the river's widest points: Sandstone Falls. From the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk a look at just a small part of the falls. Though the vertical drop of roughly 20 feet is less than many other well-known waterfalls in the state, the falls' expanse, where the river approaches 1500 feet wide, makes Sandstone Falls impressive.   The Boardwalk Trail leads to a better vantage point of the overall falls. It is a great spot for photography, fishing, or laying out in the sun. Access to the falls is relatively easy: from Hinton, cross the New River on Highway 20, then turn right onto CR 26 and follow New River Road to the Sandstone Falls Parking Area. The Island Loop Trail is a short detour off the Boardwalk Trail and shows a quieter side of the area. At Sandstone Falls, you will find a variety of activities fr...
Post a Comment
Read more

I-90 in Albany, New York and the Berkshire Spur

By
Today's Albany Times Union has a segment in their weekly Getting There? column that explains some of the history behind how I-90 is designated in the Albany, NY area as well as the Berkshire Spur. The long and short of the article was that I-90 was originally designated on the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, but as free I-90 was built, the designation was moved onto the free portion of road. Additionally, there were talks in 1999 between state and federal officials about the possibility of moving I-90 back onto the unsigned portion of the Berkshire Spur, while extending I-88 onto what we know as free I-90. There would have also had been an I-88/I-90 multiplex between Rotterdam and Albany as a result. http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=916307
Post a Comment
Read more