The Oldest Covered Bridge In New Hampshire Opened In 1829

The Granite State does a lot of things well, but history and beauty are some of the best. There are tons of ways to experience both of these things (have you checked out the fall foliage mountain coaster?) and we’re always on the looking for new and unexpected ones. This covered bridge in Bath (or Haverill depending on how you look at it!) offers both quintessential charm and some interesting history.

The Bath-Haverill covered bridge is a good example of working together. In 1829, the towns of Woodsville and Haverhill, located on either side of the Ammonoosuc River, each offered $1,200 to have the bridge built.

Kate Illinois1 / TripAdvisor

Today it joins Bath and Woodsville and was originally used to allows those traveling on Route 135 to reach both towns easily.

Cynthia Feagin / Google

While it’s the oldest in the state, the bridge isn’t without its issues. In 1927, the lattice work of the structure was hit by a tree trunk during a flood and a barn floated through the structure.

James Thornhill / Google

It’s been repaired multiple times. The most recent time was in 2004.

David Binford / Google

David Bruinekool / Google

In 1977 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Greg M / TripAdvisor

In the time since it was built a walkway was added to the east side of the bridge. The roof was also extended giving the bridge an interesting profile.

Leonard Coleman / Google

If you choose to visit you’ll find plenty of historical markers providing information on the history of its construction, so we encourage you to visit and carve out some time to truly enjoy the area.

Bruno Jablonowski / Google

It’s a wonderful day trip and a great addition to the list of New Hampshire’s covered bridges that you’ve seen.

Edward W / TripAdvisor

You can visit the Bath-Haverill bridge any time. It’s closed to cars, making it easy to stroll across without the added worry of traffic. You can learn more about it on the New Hampshire site.