Wire Bridge — Attraction in New Portland

Off the beaten path, but well worth seeing. This bridge is more than 150 years old and is entirely supported by its suspension cables, so the two ends are not connected to the road at all. When a car drives across the bridge, there is a noticeable and interesting flex! Very nice view of the Carrabassett River (basically a wide stream at this point), and autumn foliage, with a small picnic area on the opposite side of the bridge. The Wire Bridge is in New Portland, which is 2 hours north of Portland. It's located between Rangeley (1 hour west), Farmington (20 minutes south) and Skowhegan (40...

It is amazing the kinds of historical spots you can find tucked away in small towns everywhere you journey. This bridge goes back well into the 19th century and it must have been quite a feat of engineering and construction to build it over a wide river. A tablet on the wall says that the cost of construction was around $3500 - try building anything for that today! It's a very pretty spot with a nice picnic area on the east side of the bridge. Don't just drive over it, get out and walk the bridge, feeling it move beneath your feet almost as if it is...

This is a very old and interesting bridge. The deck is not connected to the abutment. It purely hangs from the cable. So when a car drives into one end, the other end rises. The bridge is 160 years old, and the suspension cable, and wooden towers, are original. The deck was replaced sixty years ago. The view of the river is beautiful, especially in the fall. Please respect the 3 ton limit. A bridge in NH collapsed recently when someone drove a seven ton truck on a three ton rated...