Transportation Related Resources
The DHR partners with government agencies, non-profit organizations, municipalities, and individuals across the state to support the inventory, documentation, maintenance, rehabilitation, and thoughtful changes to historic transportation related resources throughout New Hampshire.
Transportation related resources in New Hampshire vary widely. They include early road bridges, 19th century railroads, and 20th century airports. They also include specialized buildings such as rest areas, maintenance sheds, and research and design complexes. Covered bridges and railroad corridors benefit from the positive attention of being beloved by many. Other types of resources are less fortunate, and face neglect, deterioration, and replacement. The DHR actively supports agencies, municipalities, and community members in careful stewardship of historic transportation infrastructure and thoughtful project development for resources facing change.
Historic transportation infrastructure in New Hampshire often remains functional through careful maintenance and rehabilitation efforts. Lost historically significant transportation resources are sometimes memorialized through research and interpretation, or in the development of helpful materials for future stewardship. Much of the information compiled regarding historic transportation resources in New Hampshire is the result of DHR’s partnership with the State’s Department of Transportation (NHDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Bridges & Culverts
Bridges, and their smaller cousins, culverts, are among the most commonplace and familiar historic resources. We interact with them every day in our travels. Their historic significance can range from their design, construction materials, contribution to their community’s development, and funding programs with which they were built. The DHR supports those working to keep these engineering assets functional, safe, and part of our landscape for years to come.
Railroads
Historically prominent on the landscape, active railroads in New Hampshire mostly disappeared by the end of the 20th century. Remnants and ruins of this formerly formidable industry are still detectable, however, with many corridors now part of the rails-to-trails movement.
Transportation Planning, Development, & Maintenance
Transportation resources in New Hampshire are as varied as the systems that have evolved to move people and goods in and out and around the state. Many of these resources are visually or technologically impressive. Others are designed simply to support transportation users in their travels or stewards in their maintenance efforts, but historically significant nonetheless.