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Covered Bridges

There aren't many places in New Hampshire where you can find four picturesque covered bridges in such close proximity. The charm of these historical structures can be enjoyed in any season. Don't forget to bring your camera!

The Smith Millennium Bridge

Pictured here is the Smith Millennium Bridge located just off Route 25. The world's strongest covered bridge!
Parking is available.

The Smith Millennium Bridge has a very colorful history. The first bridge spanning the Baker River was built in 1790 and named for Captain Stephen Wells, a Revolutionary War veteran who organized a lottery and raised £200 to pay for the bridge.

In 1825, the Wells Bridge was completely rebuilt and named the Smith Bridge. The original Smith Bridge was washed away by flood waters in 1850, and Harmon Macy of Littleton built a new bridge on this site. Then, major repairs were done in both 1938 and 1950. In 1957, Smith Bridge was again completely rebuilt. 1991 saw the closing of the bridge to traffic, after an engineering evaluation judged it too unstable for daily use. By April 16, 1993, efforts to raise funds to rebuild the bridge were unsuccessful, and it was completely destroyed by an arson fire. On July 23, 1993, at the continuation of a town meeting, voters approved asking DOT for another covered wooden bridge. Building started on the new bridge in 1999. June 8, 2001, eight years and two months after the 1850 Smith Bridge burned, the new Smith Millennium bridge was dedicated and opened to public transportation across the Baker River. The Department of Transportation estimates it will be 150 years before it needs any major renovations!

Blair Bridge

The Blair Bridge in Campton is a 292 foot, 10 inch 2-span bridge over the Pemigewasset River. It was built in 1869 and rebuilt in 1977 by Milton Graton and his son, Arnold. This bridge is located east of Route 3 and two miles north of Livermore Falls.

The Bump Bridge in Campton was originally built in 1877. The present bridge on this site was rebuilt in 1972 by Arnold Graton. This bridge is located one mile east of Route 175 at Campton Hollow and crosses the Beebe River.

Turkey Jim's covered bridge in Campton, built in 1883, was originally designed to connect an island turkey farm with the mainland. It was repaired in 1950 by Milton and Arnold Graton. It washed downstream in 1965, but was retrieved close to the original location. The present bridge over the West Branch Brook was built in 1958 by Milton Graton. This bridge is located 1/2 mile east of Route 3 in Campton.

Other Links

New Hampshire's White Mountains
www.visitwhitemountains.com

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