Blow-Me-Down Bridge #23

Location: South of N.H. Route 12A, one and one-half miles southwest of Plainfield Village on Mill Road in "Squag City" in Cornish. The bridge spans a deep gorge on the Blow-Me-Down Brook.
Style of Bridge: Multiple Kingpost truss
Year of Construction: 1877
Original Cost: $528
Structural Characteristics: The bridge is 85'9" long with a clear span of 74'6". It has an overall width of 16'4" with a roadway width of 13'8" and a maximum vertical clearance of 9'11". A cross beam (tell-tale) set at a height of 7'0" has been installed at each approach to block high vehicles. The bridge is posted for six tons.
Maintained By: Town of Cornish
World Guide Number: 29-10-10
New Hampshire Number: 23

Ice formation in Blow-Me-Down Brook beneath the bridge.

Historical Remarks:
The bridge was build by James Tasker. The structure was repaired by Milton Graton and his son Arnold in 1980. The restoration was made possible with the aid from a federal Historic Preservation Fund matching grant from the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior through the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, the Town of Cornish, the Cornish Historical Society, and private contributions. The Blow-Me-Down Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

from www.nh.gov/nhdhr/bridges/p45.html

Historic display inside the bridge.
Relics of the Bridge circa 1877
Old Growth Spruce: One of four post cutouts to repair broken post-strut joints in North Post.
Bolt used to fasten original wind braces to posts.
Cedar shingle taken from roof 9/02
Original chord bolt taken from rotten SE corner during 1980 repair.
Original bottom chord clamps. (Note the more rugged 2002 replacements) The bridge was overloaded?

Blow-Me-Down Covered Bridge Set

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