Thompson Covered Bridge

Denman Thompson (West Swanzey) Covered Bridge is number 5 on the list of covered bridges in New Hampshire.  This bridge was built by Zadock Taft in 1832, and brings Main Street in the village of West Swanzey over the Ashuelot River.   The bridge was presumably named for West Swanzey resident, Denman Thompson (1833-1911), a playwright and theatre actor who wrote the play, the Old Homestead, for which Thompson gained national recognition for his portrayal of the character of Joshua Whitcomb.  It is just under 137 feet long and has spans measuring about 64 feet.   Locals refer to it as the Thompson Covered Bridge, and the sign on it says “Thompson”, however the state website refers to it as the West Swanzey Covered Bridge.  It is a two-span Town Lattice Truss bridge, with a stone central pier and abutments.   The original West Swanzey Covered Bridge originally had two sidewalks but it now has one.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980