The Carlton Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge that carries Carlton Road over the South Branch Ashuelot River in East Swanzey, Cheshire County, New Hampshire.  The bridge was built in 1869 and is the region's only surviving example of a 19th-century Queenspost truss bridge. 

The Bridge, situated in a rural setting, is a single-span structure measuring 67 feet 3 inches in length and 16 feet 6 inches in width, supported by granite abutments. Its roadway is 12 feet 4 inches wide, sufficient for one lane of traffic. Its exterior is sheathed in vertical board siding and is topped by a gabled roof. Its trusses have been reinforced with iron tie rods and other metal elements.

The site of the bridge, built in 1869, is believed to have had a bridge since 1789. It is also believed to be the only example of a Queenspost truss bridge in southern New Hampshire. This truss method is quite old and is based on techniques used for building large structures such as churches and barns.

Town records indicate the original bridge at this site was constructed in 1789; however, the exact date has not been verified. The current bridge was built in 1869. According to local tradition, the bridge was built by local barn builders. When it was built, a wagon fully loaded with hay was used as a standard for the height and width of the opening. The bridge was closed in June 1974 to await town appropriations for repairs, rebuilding, or reconstruction. On Flag Day, June 14, 1975, as a part of the Swanzey Bicentennial Commission program, the Carlton Bridge was painted by residents of the town and was completed in just five hours. In 1979, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation estimated that it would cost $487,000 to build a new covered bridge in its place.

Of the 400 covered bridges that once stood in the state of New Hampshire, as of 2019, only 54 remain.

The Carlton Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Located at:  N42 51.282   W72 16.466       -       WGCB #29-03-07

Photographed in July of 2019

Photos by Millard Farmer