Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge

Built 1866 Across The Connecticut River Between Cornish, New Hampshire And Windsor, Vermont; About 449 Feet Long, The Longest Historic Wooden Covered Bridge In The United States And The Longest Two Span Covered Bridge In The World; Owned By The New Hampshire Department Of Transportation; A National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. · Cornish, New Hampshire

A wooden covered bridge about 449 feet long that carries a working road across the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. Built in 1866 to replace earlier bridges lost to floods and ice, it is the longest historic wooden covered bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world, resting on one stone pier in the middle of the river. Its Town lattice trusses, a crisscross web of heavy planks pinned with wooden pegs, are visible from inside as you drive through. It was a toll bridge until the state bought it in 1943, and because the state line runs along the Vermont bank, New Hampshire owns and maintains it. Cars still cross in single file at low speed, and the old signs at each end threaten a fine for driving a horse faster than a walk. The best views are from the grassy riverbank on the Vermont side and from a pull-off on the New Hampshire side, with Mount Ascutney rising behind. Crossing is free, and it pairs well with the Saint-Gaudens park and the small town of Windsor.

NH Route 12A at Bridge Street, Cornish, New Hampshire, 03745, United States

The bridge is a public road, open to traffic 24 hours a day, all year, with no gate, staff or fee. It can close for a few hours after an accident or for inspection, and for longer stretches when the state repairs it - the bridge has been closed for major rehabilitation before, so check New Hampshire road notices if you are planning a trip around it. In winter the approaches are ploughed, but the deck can be icy at the portals. The riverbank viewpoints have no hours but are best by day. In Windsor, museums and the brewery keep their own hours, with some attractions seasonal from about May to October.

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