Slate Covered Bridge - New Hampshire

The Slate Covered Bridge is a 143 foot long covered lattice through truss covered bridge that spans over the Ashuelot River in Swanzey, New Hampshire. One of six covered bridges found in Swanzey, this bridge is the second covered bridge to stand at this location on Westport Village Road (which was a former alignment of NH 10). Like the previous bridge at this location, this one continues to be called Slate Covered Bridge after the Slate family that had owned a farm to the north of the bridge.

The original bridge was erected in 1862 at a cost of $1,850.64 with a Town truss and was a couple feet longer than the current covered bridge. It was built to replace the previous bridge that crossed the river at this location, which had collapsed in 1842 as William Wheelock and his oxen were crossing it. Despite the collapse sending them all into the river, it was a blessing that neither Wheelock nor his oxen were hurt. Even still, Wheelock engaged an attorney from Keene to seek damages from the Town of Swanzey as a result of being on the bridge while it collapsed into the Ashuelot River.

Due to the effects of time, the bridge began to show wear and tear over the years. In the early 1990s, talk of fundraising to help with the rehabilitation of the bridge began. In 1987, the bridge was damaged by a snow plow and was repaired at a cost of $2,000. However, before the bridge could be rehabilitated any further, it was destroyed on March 8, 1993, when it was set on fire. There was a suspect who was tried for the arson, but the case against him was weak from the start. The case weakened further in late 1993 when the state failed to discover gasoline or any other accelerant that was being used to burn the bridge down. The case went to trial in December 1993 and the suspect found not guilty of the act of arson. Nobody else was ever charged and the arson remains unsolved.

Undeterred, the Town of Swanzey decided to have a new covered bridge erected in its place, and opted to keep the same name for the new bridge. Hoyle Tanner of Manchester, New Hampshire was selected for the design of the new wooden Slate Covered Bridge under the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Municipally Managed Bridge program. They provided engineering design services for the new bridge including Town Lattice trusses, floor beams and floor decking, roof rafters and purlins, and cross bracing, along with fire detection and protection systems. They also provided inspection and evaluation of existing stone abutments for reuse. Wright Construction Company of Mount Holly, Vermont assisted in the construction of the new covered bridge as well. The new Slate Covered Bridge opened in 2001 with a l5 ton live load, which was five times that of the original covered bridge.

How to Get There:

Sources and Links:
Town of Swanzey - Covered Bridge Information
New Hampshire Covered Bridge - Slate Bridge
Hoyle Tanner - Slate Covered Bridge
NH Tour Guide.com - Slate Covered Bridge Swanzey NH
Bridgehunter.com - Slate Covered Bridge 29-03-06
Ontfin.com - Slate Covered Bridge, New Hampshire
The Pennsylvania Rambler - Slate Covered Bridge
Miles to Go - Snapshots: Covered Bridges of S.W. New Hampshire

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico passes through the Guadalupe Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise the highest peaks of Texas which are largely protected as part Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The automotive highway through the Guadalupe Mountains was constructed in the late 1920s as part of Texas State Road 54. US Route 62 was extended from Carlsbad through the Guadalupe Mountains to El Paso during 1932. US Route 62 was joined in the Guadalupe Mountains by US Route 180 in 1943. The Guadalupe Mountains comprise a portion of the 130 mile "No Services" zone on US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso-Carlsbad. Part 1; the history of US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains The Guadalupe Mountains lie within the states of Texas and New Mexico. The Guadalupe Mountains essentially is a southern extension of the larger Rocky Mountains. The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest range in Texas with the peak elevati

Former California State Route 215

California State Route 215 was a short-lived state highway which existed in the Los Angeles Metropolitain area after the 1964 State Highway Renumbering. California State Route 215 was aligned from US Route 60 at 5th Street in Pomona north to US Route 66 near Claremont via Garey Avenue. California State Route 215 came to be after California State Route 71 was bisected in Pomona due to relinquishment of a portion of Garey Avenue due to the opening of a portion of the Corona Freeway (now Chino Valley Freeway) during 1958. California State Route 215 was deleted by the Legislature during 1965. The history of California State Route 215 The initial segment of what was to become California State Route 215 was added to the State Highway System as part of the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act. The First State Highway Bond Act defined what would become Legislative Route Number 19 (LRN 19) as running from Claremont to Riverside. The segment of LRN 19 between Claremont and Pomona would in

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 . According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. - Ocean Street - 2nd Street - Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz. A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River.

Gribblenation

Search This Blog