Sunday River Covered Bridge - Artists Bridge, Newry Maine

Date added: February 27, 2024 Categories:
Looking North (1968)

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The first settlements were made here in 1781, by Benjamin Barker and his two brothers, from Methuen, Massachusetts, and Ithiel Smith of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. These families were plundered by the Canada Indians in 1782. The township was purchased from Massachusetts by John J. Holmes in 1794. It was incorporated on June 15th, 1805, receiving the name of Newry. The inducements to settle here were primarily for lumbering and farming. Power sites were numerous and sawmills and grist mills were built. However, no long-lasting industries developed and this town has never grown to have an appreciable population. In 1870, the population was 416, in 1880 it was 337 and today (2020 census) it is 488.

In 1808 a committee was chosen to contract for the building of a bridge over Sunday River. This was where the present Artist's Bridge is now located. 1n l81l, $160 was paid for the building of this bridge. In the fall of 1820 stone abutments were provided. In 1825, $400 was appropriated for repairing this bridge and the unused balance was to be applied to other road repairs. In 1858 it was voted to repair the Sunday River bridge before the next July. A bid of $125 was accepted. In the big freshet, Oct. 4th, 1869, it was washed out and travelers forded the river at a point on the Foster land below the bridge. The bridge was called "The Joel Foster Bridge" at that time. In 1871, there was a town meeting to decide about a new bridge. It was voted to build a bridge and Nahum Mason of North-west Bethel, a bridge builder by trade, was to see to it. Levi Eames_hewed the beams and the bridge was built. It fell in the fall. In 1872 another meeting was held and it was voted to build a Bridge by day's work, paying three dollars a day and board, with Hiram York as boss. Levi Eames was hired to work and others near. Beams, etc., were cut and marked out and made. The two halves were put together separately on the grass and when erected it was sure to settle into place correctly, which it did. It was then roofed over, and has since been reroofed and kept in repair to the present day. This bridge withstood the freshet of 1927 because the fury of the current swept around the end of the bridge upon the land, and therefore saved the foundations. This bridge was in constant use until 1955 when a change in the Sunday River Road bypassed this crossing.

Bridge Description

This wooden covered bridge spans the Sunday River as it passes through the township of Newry. Newry lies in the western part of Oxford County just north of the Androscoggin River. Newry is bounded by Bethel on the South, Rumford on the East, Andover on the North, and Riley on the West. This is a mountainous area between which there are two major valleys; the Bear River Valley, and the Sunday River Valley. The intervals along those small rivers in times past supported farms and excellent pasturage. The mountains and foothills with a forest cover did and still produce timber and pulp logs. This is a scenic area in general and along the Sunday River it is particularly so. The Artist's Bridge spans the river in an idyllic setting. It is a favorite spot for artists. At the end of this road, there is a winter ski resort.

This wooden structure is 100' long, 20' wide, and 22' high from the floor to the peak of the roof. The overhead clearance is 14' and the clearance between the sides is 17'. This bridge is built on granite block abutments that rise 12' above granite ledges on both sides of the river. The engineering concept employed in this bridge is best described as Paddleford Truss construction. The main feature of the truss is a series of crossed braces between upright King posts. The cross braces are morticed at the crossing and again morticed into the King posts. The chords both top and bottom receive the King posts by morticed cuts. The chords of the two trusses are connected by cross timbers, which support the plank floor running down the length of the bridge. The top chord provides a plate for the roof rafters, on which spaced purlins run the length of the roof. Cedar shingles are nailed to the purlins. The sides of the bridge are boarded to halfway up the braces. The ends of the gable are boarded in down to clearance. In times past, the bridge has been painted but now most of the paint has wasted away. The Rustic appearance of the fabric together with the broad arch of the clearance and extra overhang of the roof create a most pleasing effect.

Sunday River Covered Bridge - Artists Bridge, Newry Maine Looking North (1968)
Looking North (1968)

Sunday River Covered Bridge - Artists Bridge, Newry Maine Looking West (1970)
Looking West (1970)