| Swift River Bridge - NH-02-05 |
| Conway, NH - Carroll County |
Bridge Elevation
Portal
Plaque
| Bridge Statistics |
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| Description |
| This bridge is located in the White Mountain National Forest, off the scenic Kancamagus Highway. It spans the Swift River just a short distance from the Covered Bridge Campground. The bridge was built in 1858 by Almzi Russell and Leandre Morton. The covered portion of the bridge is 120'-0" long and the clear span of 100'-0" between abutments. The bridge width is 21'-0", the roadway width is 15'-3". The truss is a Paddleford with added Arches. The U.S. Forest Service modified the structure in 1981-1982, replaced the wooden floor timbers with steel. This bridge replaces a bridge built in 1857 and destroyed is a windstorm. |
| Photography |
| There are many good areas for photographing the bridge. The portals are easy to photograph with very little traffic. From the river this bridge is best photographed from the north side. Easy access under bridge on north side, good for underside photos. |
| Parking |
| Parking available in a White Mountain National Forest parking lot near the bridge. A $3.00 fee was in place in September 2003. This fee was good for any other park areas along the Kancamagus Highway. A path leads from the parking lot to the bridge, along which is a plaque describing the bridge. |
| Additional Information |
| In 1850s, Jacob Berry and Peter Paddleford built a covered bridge to replace a crudely framed log bridge that had collapsed at this site. The 1850 bridge stood until the Swift River covered bridge crashed into it in 1869. The Saco River covered bridge was rebuilt by Allen and Warren of Conway but it was destroyed again by a tannery fire in 1890. The current bridge was built by Charles Broughton and his son Frank. |
Truss
Paddleford Truss with added Arches
Location Map
| Location |
| One-half mile north of N.H. Route 16 at Conway Village |
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