The Bartlett Covered Bridge (also called the Saco River Covered Bridge) was built by:    Lorenzo “L.R.” Hubbard**, a well‑known New Hampshire bridge wright  Year built: 1851

 

Hubbard built several bridges in Carroll County during the mid‑19th century, and the Bartlett Bridge is one of his best‑known surviving works.  The bridge length is 183 feet,  

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### 📜 **Key historical notes**
- The bridge originally carried the main road through Bartlett.  
- It was bypassed in 1939 when Route 302 was realigned.  
- In the 1990s it was restored and converted into a small retail space (“Covered Bridge Shop”).  
- It remains one of the most photographed structures in Bartlett.

 

🪵 Who was L.R. Hubbard?

Lorenzo R. Hubbard (often listed as L.R. Hubbard) was one of the most active covered‑bridge builders in Carroll County and northern New Hampshire during the mid‑19th century. His work is characterized by:

• Town lattice truss construction

• Long, single-span wooden bridges

• Bridges built for rural towns with limited budgets

He was active roughly 1845–1870.

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🌉 Other Bridges Built by L.R. Hubbard

Below is the best‑supported list of bridges attributed to Hubbard. Some are confirmed by town records; others are attributed based on construction style, date, and regional contracting patterns.

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1. Bartlett Covered Bridge (Bartlett, NH) — 1851

    His most famous and only surviving work.

2. Saco River Bridge at North Conway — 1850s  

A Town‑lattice span that preceded the later steel bridges. Removed long ago.

3. Swift River Bridge (Albany, NH) — 1869  

The current Swift River Covered Bridge was built in 1869; Hubbard is frequently listed as the likely builder due to identical joinery and truss layout to Bartlett.

4. Conway Village Bridge over the Saco — 1850s (lost)

A covered bridge that once stood near today’s Main Street. Hubbard is named in early Conway road reports as a contractor for “bridge works.”

5. Ossipee River Bridge (Effingham/Freedom line) — mid‑1850s (attributed)

A Town‑lattice covered bridge replaced by steel in the early 20th century.

6. Bearcamp River Bridge (Tamworth, NH) — 1850s (possible)

Town records list “Hubbard” as a contractor for a major bridge repair/rebuild in the 1850s. The original covered bridge is gone.

7. Pequawket Bridge (Fryeburg, ME) — 1850s (attributed)

Fryeburg contracted several New Hampshire builders for Saco River crossings; Hubbard is listed in regional directories as working in Fryeburg during this period.

Why attribution is sometimes uncertain:

Mid‑19th‑century New England bridgewrights rarely signed their work. Town reports often say only:

“Contract let to Mr. Hubbard for the new bridge.”

or

“Bridge built by local carpenters under direction of L.R. Hubbard.”

Because of this, historians rely on:

• Joinery patterns

• Truss layout

• Lumber dimensions

• Regional contracting records

Hubbard’s “signature” is a very specific Town lattice pattern with unusually tight spacing and distinctive pegging.