Covered Bridges in New Hampshire's Great North Woods (NH)

This 88-foot bridge is the northernmost bridge to cross the Connecticut River, on its 400- mile journey south to Long Island Sound. Town records indicate that money was raised to build this bridge back in 1876. The Town of Clarksville was approached by Pittsburg officials "....to see what the town would do about paying the Town of Pittsburg for building two-thirds of the bridge ..." but Clarksville declined to pay Pittsburg anything." This structure is one of seven covered bridges in Pittsburg and one of three that remain standing. It was closed to traffic in 1981.

Little is known about this bridge and nothing has been recorded in the town records. The bridge is closed to all but pedestrian traffic.

Happy Corner was a bustling neighborhood in the late 1800s. At the Perry Stream crossing there was a sawmill, a starch mill, a store and post office, a barbershop, and the Temperance Hall. The bridge got its name from an elderly gentleman who lived in a house at the crossroads. This gentleman liked to sing and dance, and he owned a Victrola which he played frequently. People congregated at his house generally had a "happy" time singing and dancing. The crossroads got the name Happy Corner. Happy Corner Bridge is one of the oldest covered bridges in northern New Hampshire.

The bridge is 134 feet long and it has sidewalks on each side. During the 1890s, high water removed the center pier and the bridge was washed downstream. It was brought back by men and oxen and set on new stone piers. The bridge failed again in the 1940s and in 1954 was rehabilitated. During the 1950s, the people of Stark voted to replace the bridge with a new steel bridge. The outcry from artists was so great that the covered bridge was restored. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.