The oldest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world crosses the Contoocook River, and soon it will look a lot nicer in all those selfies that feature it.
“Every day there are people there at the bridge, taking pictures. It’s a special trip for some people to come and take pictures of it,” said Louise Carr of Hopkinton, who has been pushing to get the bridge spruced up for several years. “It hasn’t been painted for years.”
On Monday the state Division of Historical Resources said the Contoocook Railroad Bridge will be stained and receive minor repairs starting today, depending on the weather, with funding through the state’s Moose Plate program.
Pedestrians and others accustomed to strolling across the bridge in the center of Contoocook can cross the river via sidewalks on the adjacent roadway bridge while work is underway. Businesses and parking will remain accessible.
Built in 1889 for the Concord and Claremont Railroad, the bridge carried trains until 1960 and is said to be the oldest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world. It was listed to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Carr began looking into getting the bridge painted years ago when she was head of the Hopkington 250th Anniversary Committee.
That anniversary was held in 2015. “This took a lot longer than I expected,” Carr said.
The covered bridge is now owned by the state. In 2007, a wooden passenger coach was donated to the Contoocook Riverway Association and placed on rails alongside the adjacent depot.
Capitol Paint and Wallpaper Co. in Concord has worked to develop stain for the bridge that matches its historical look. This has been complicated by the fact that environmental concerns prevent the use of the exact same paints that might have been used in the past.
Carr said the bridge is structurally sound and has been fireproofed.
Its location alongside a major road bridge which carries the combined routes 103 and 127, makes it popular for pedestrians and other uses, including in the wintertime when it is part of a major snowmobile thoroughfare.
The project is funded through the Conservation and Heritage License Plate Program, known for its “Moose Plates” used for historical, conservation and cultural conservation projects.
The Contoocook Railway Association also partnered with the project.
(David Brooks can be reached at 369-3313 or dbrooks@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @GraniteGeek.)
