The Magic of Covered Bridges: Blacksmith Shop Covered Bridge (#21 Cornish, NH)

One of our favorite covered bridges is the Blacksmith Shop Covered Bridge. It is nestled in some trees off Route 12A/Townhouse Road, Cornish NH. The bridge is actually so tiny, if you blink you will miss it. We discovered this little hidden gem one day when we were on our way to the dramatic Cornish/Windsor covered bridge that connects NH and Vermont. It was one of the first bridges we had ever seen and immediately fell in love with its charm. Even surrounded by snow, it was still a gem!

Every Bridge Has a Story

This one is kind of mysterious. It is often referred to the "Blacksmith Shop" bridge because of its supposed close proximity to a blacksmith shop and water mill. So the townspeople think. Town records show that Charles Thomas Sturtevant had a blacksmith shop, but never even lived in Cornish, NH. The bridge has also been called the "Kenyon Bridge," because of the location of the "Kenyon Property," to the east. Historic records show that the main use for the bridge was by a family that lived on the other side of the creek. The mention of a shop was either in the actual town of cornish, or upstream from the bridge. There is mention of old metal items in the creek, near where a waterwheel used to be. 

Whatever the story was behind this bridge, it lends a sort of mystery to try and solve. As we climbed around the embankments, we found several old glass bottles from the early 1900's. We of course tossed them back into their resting spot, but finding them helped us sort of go back in time for a bit. 

As we stood in the middle of the bridge and peered upstream, the green trees formed a soft umbrella over the area. The bridge sits on a large creek, not a river. The water washes gently over the rocks under the bridge. It is soothing to just stand and watch. For a warm summer day, the bridge and trees gave us cool shade for a nice break. 

My Favorite Spot

My favorite spot on a bridge is right in the center looking out over the stream. In summer, the whole thing appears in technicolor. Soft, flowing water against a backdrop of green leaves. Nature places the rocks in a way that guides the water into intricate and beautiful patterns, untouched by man. 

You can hike down into the stream and look up at the bridge in all its glory. The blacksmith shop bridge is weathered, tired, and worn. Somehow in its completely natural state, it has its own beauty from the years it has stood. The bridge almost seems as if nature placed it there, along with the trees. It just blends in. 

Yep, there I am in my favorite spot. Sometimes, Derrick has to get my attention. It just mesmerizes and relaxes me to just watch the water flow. In winter, it doesn't really flow that much. A lot of the rivers are completely frozen over. This one still had some movement, but we were careful not to climb down. Even without the leaves, there is still so much beauty in the landscape when it's cold.

This bridge is not far from the "Cornish/Windsor" covered bridge and there are a few others in the area, so you can make a whole "bridge trip" to the area. Cornish, NH and Windsor, VT are sleepy and quiet little towns filled with friendly folk. There are some great places for breakfast and lunch. Plus, if you take a trip out here there are plenty of quaint little bed and breakfasts that are always ready to welcome guests in! 

That fall foliage trip to New England you've been dreaming of......it's always possible and well worth it!

https://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/nh/nh0200/nh0279/data/nh0279data.pdf

Photo Credit: All photo's were taken by me and my fiance and are our own.