Swift River Bridge
Conway, Carroll County, New Hampshire
Last checked 2026-11-01 · Sources · More New Hampshire bridges
At a glance
- Status
- Listed in the state's covered bridge inventory[1]
- Year built
- 1870[1]
- Truss type
- Paddleford truss with arches, single-span[1]
- Length
- 129' long[1]
- Vehicle access
- Not verified
- Parking
- Not verified
Directions go to the bridge's mapped point, not a confirmed parking area.
About this bridge
Swift River Bridge is a covered bridge in Conway, Carroll County, New Hampshire. It appears in the NH Division of Historical Resources covered bridge inventory. The state record gives its construction date as 1870. Its structure is recorded as paddleford truss with arches, single-span.
Bridge details
- Town
- Conway[1]
- Location / road
- One-half mile north of N.H. Route 16 at offWest Side Road over the Swift River[1]
- Year built
- 1870[1]
- Truss type
- Paddleford truss with arches, single-span[1]
- Length
- 129' long[1]
- Maintained by
- Town of Conway[1]
- NH bridge number
- 47[1]
- World Guide number
- 29-02-05#2[1]
- Coordinates
- 43.98488, -71.11937[1]
History
The first bridge on this site was built by John Douglas in 1850. It gave much needed access to the north using West Side Road and served local commerce well until the spring of 1869. At that time, heavy rains swelled the river and the raging waters lifted the bridge from its foundation, turned it around, and sent it rapidly downstream into the Saco River Bridge knocking it off its moorings. Both damaged structures broke up and came to rest two miles downstream. In a striking demonstration of Yankee thrift, much of the lumber salvaged from these two bridges was used in the building of the new Swift River Bridge constructed by Jacob Berry and his son Jacob Jr. The current bridge was bypassed when a new concrete and steel bridge was built nearby in 1974. The Swift River Bridge was renovated after an extensive fundraising campaign in 1991. Bobcat Welding of Albany made the repairs. The Swift River Bridge is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
Text as published in the NH Division of Historical Resources covered bridge inventory, checked 2026-11-01.
Visiting
We have no official parking, accessibility or opening information for this bridge. Many covered bridges sit on working town roads. Park only where it is legal and safe, respect private property and posted signs, and check town or state notices for closures.
Not verified
We have not found an official source for: Crosses, Vehicle access, National Register ref., Parking, Accessibility, Opening hours or seasonal closures. We leave these blank rather than guess. Never assume a road means you can drive, park or walk here.
Map
Red dot: this bridge. Green dots: nearest bridges in our list. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Nearby bridges
- Saco River Bridge (Conway): 0.2 mi straight-line distance, not driving distance
- Albany Bridge (Albany): 6.2 mi straight-line distance, not driving distance
- Bartlett Bridge (Bartlett): 8.7 mi straight-line distance, not driving distance
- Jackson Bridge (Jackson): 11.3 mi straight-line distance, not driving distance
- Whittier Bridge (Ossipee): 12.1 mi straight-line distance, not driving distance
Sources
- NH Division of Historical Resources covered bridge inventory: checked 2026-11-01
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