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Documenting North America's past & present covered bridges

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Sulphite Railroad, Merrimack County

If you find errors in the data please contact Bill Caswell.

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Inventory Number: NH/29-07-09
State of New Hampshire Number: 62
County: Merrimack County
Township: Franklin
Town/Village:
Bridge Name: Sulphite Railroad
Crosses: Winnipesaukee River
Truss type: Pratt Deck
Spans: 3
Length: 180'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1896
Builder:
When Lost: standing
Cause:
Latitude: N43 26.702
Longitude: W071 38.124
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: 0.5 miles east of jct NH127 on US3/NH11 (Central St.). Park on west side of river and walk 0.5 miles under railroad trestle on paved trail.

Sulphite Railroad Bridge, Franklin, Merrimack County, NH Built 1896
Richard E. Roy Collection

Sulphite Railroad Bridge, Franklin, Merrimack County, NH Built 1896
Bill Caswell Photo (2002)

Sulphite Railroad Bridge, Franklin, Merrimack County, NH Built 1896
Bill Caswell Photo, October 8, 2012

Comments:
The existing structure replaced a framed trestle bridge erected here in 1891 or 1892 by the Franklin and Tilton Railroad. This unusual bridge, built by the Bridge and Building Department of the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1896, appears to be the only deck-covered railroad bridge left in the United States. It was named Sulphite because of the large amounts of sulfur transported over the rail lines for use by the giant pulp and paper mills not far from the bridge. It is also known as the Upside Down Covered Bridge because the railroad track crosses over the top of the structure rather than running through its center. Service over the line was suspended in 1973. The bridge sides are boarded over with 7/8" siding and the ends are closed. There was a fire inside the bridge on October 27, 1980 that is believed to have been arson. Replacement costs could run as high as $500,000. The Sulphite Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sources:
Marshall, Richard G.. New Hampshire Covered Bridges : A Link With Our Past, 1994, page 103
Knoblock, Glenn A.. New Hampshire Covered Bridges, 2002, pages 18, 85
National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. World Guide to Covered Bridges, 2021, page 51
Chandler, Kim Varney. Covered Bridges of New Hampshire, 2022, Pages 213-216

Compilation 2026 Covered Spans of Yesteryear

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