West Swanzey Covered Bridge, Covered bridge in West Swanzey, United States.
The West Swanzey Covered Bridge, also known as Thompson Bridge, is a wooden structure with a traditional lattice truss design from the 19th century. It spans the Ashuelot River for about 136 feet and features classic red paint with white trim details.
Carpenter Zadoc Taft built this bridge in 1832 for 523 dollars as a crossing over the Ashuelot River. It gained listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, securing its status as a protected landmark.
The bridge caught Henry Ford's attention in 1930 when he wanted to add it to his Greenfield Village Museum, but the community chose to keep it instead. This moment shows how the local people valued and protected their landmark.
The bridge sits near Bridges Inn and connects the village with New Hampshire Route 10, making it accessible by foot or car. Visitors should note the narrow passage and proceed carefully when crossing.
In 1973, school buses had to drop off passengers before crossing because of a 6-ton weight limit in place at the time. Students then walked across while the empty bus followed behind.
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