March 20, 1905
A three-hinged steel through arch bridge, crossing the Connecticut River and linking the Vermont village of Bellows Falls with the New Hampshire community of North Walpole, was formally opened. Measuring 644 feet and eight inches (196.5 meters) in length, the Bellow Falls Arch Bridge had been designed by Boston civil engineer J.R. Worcester. At the time of its completion, this bridge held the record as the longest singe-span highway bridge in the United States.
The Bellows Falls Arch Bridge remained in service until 1971, when it was closed to vehicular traffic due to concerns about the structure’s overall condition. This bridge was demolished in 1982.
Image Credit: Public Domain
For more information on the Bellows Falls Arch Bridge, please check out https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/nh/nh0000/nh0001/data/nh0001data.pdf and https://structurae.net/en/structures/bellows-falls-arch-bridge
Transportation History 