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Wells River Toll, Orange County

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Inventory Number: VT/45-09-41x / NH-05-48x
County: Orange County / Grafton County
Township: Newbury - Haverhill
Town/Village: Wells River - Woodsville
Bridge Name: Wells River Toll
Crosses: Connecticut River
Truss type:
Spans: 1
Length: 231'
Roadway Width:
Built: 1820
Builder:
When Lost: 1836
Cause: Replaced
Latitude: N44 09.26
Longitude: W072 02.45
See a map of the area
Topographic map of the area
Directions: Just north of the railroad bridge between Woodsville and Wells River.

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Comments:
The charter for the Wells River Bridge was granted on December 27, 1803. The bridge was built in 1805 using a ledge of rocks above the mouth of the Wells River for the Vermont end. It was an open structure resting on wooden "horses". It was carried away the Spring freshet of 1807. A replacement was built in 1809 and lost during a freshet in 1812. Ferry service was reinstated until the next bridge was completed in the summer of 1820 located south of the two former bridges. The toll house was erected on the Haverhill side and was still standing in 1919. The bridge was rebuilt in 1836. The main span was washed out during a freshet in the spring of 1850 and immediately rebuilt. In 1852, the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad was completing its tracks to Woodsville and needed a Connecticut River crossing. The railroad company offered the bridge proprietors a new bridge at their expense and to be maintained by them. Vehicles traveled inside the structure and two railroads shared the top deck, the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad and the Connecticut & Passumpsic Railroad. It opened on March 2, 1853. The bridge and "several rods of highway" to connect with the old ferry road near the present railroad bridge across the Wells River cost about $20,000. The bridge was strengthened and repaired in 1868 and new arches were added in 1876. Vehicles traveling through the interior of the bridge had to make sharp angled turns at the ends to avoid hitting the stone walls that supported the upper deck. Henry Campbell sided the bridge with his distinctive pattern of highlighting the arch. The bridge was still in excellent condition when it was replaced in 1903. The new steel bridge opened in February 1904. It was still a toll bridge for vehicles. Vehicle traffic was moved to a new free bridge in October 1917.

Source:
Whitcher, William F. History of the Town of Haverhill New Hampshire, 1919, pages 254-256

Compilation 2026 Covered Spans of Yesteryear

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