Long Island and Black Cat Island Bridges
 

Does anyone know how old these two bridges are?

I met a guy in his 60s that used to spend time on Black Cat Island before a bridge was there, so I suspect it is more recent, but I can't find anything on-line about when these two bridges were built.....

Black Cat Island Bridge
 

Long island Bridge
 

The current Bridge was build back in the Mid to late 80s, however there was a predecessor to the current bridge... and unfortunately I do not know when that Bridge was constructed....... there was likely even one before that one...

I remember riding up there sometime in the 60s and there was no bridge.

Long Island Bridge
 

This photo of my grandfather from the mid 1920s shows the Long Island bridge that existed at that point. I’m not sure when that bridge was built, but when my grandfather’s grandparents were married in 1864, we were told his grandfather rowed over from our house on Moultonboro Neck to pick-up his bride and her belongings from the Wentworth family home on Long Island.

Black Cat
 

As I recall, Bill Chipman bought and developed Black Cat in the 60's, so that's the origin of the bridge. He also built the Kitty Belle barge to bring trucks and materials to the island. I haven't seen it in years, but I think it is still around.

Black Cat bridge
 

Definitely a product of the 1960's. Use to be signs on bill boards between Meredith and Center Harbor advertising "Black Cat".

Black Cat Island bridge:

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Long Island Bridge:

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I remember when the LI bridge was rebuilt around 1990. I think the old one was wooden? Annoys me to this day they didn’t make it higher!

Kitty Belle, is indeed still on the lake... She picks up material generally over in 19 mile Bay or by Harrilla landing, an can often be found in and around the Islands of Moultonborough and Tuftonboro.....

NHDOT lists built/rebuilt date of 1988 for Long Island bridge: ftp://pubftp.nh.gov/DOT/Bridge%20Des...h__192-101.pdf

The Kitty Belle
 

She had some extensive hull work done several years ago and is still working hard!
I would love to see some pictures of her working as the Black Cat Island Ferry
Most of the work these days goes out of Harilla Landing.
https://lwipm.com/

Long Island Wooden Bridge
 

Was vastly superior in many ways. It had an inner railing that separated the sidewalk from traffic. In the evenings it was loaded with people of all ages fishing. The phone wires were laden with hooks, bobbers, and lures. Lots of sunnies, catfish and bass. In the mid 60s I rode my bike down from Far Echo with my pole and a can of worms. It was a place to congregate.... vehicles drove generally slowly across the bridge. It's kind of like the Weirs docks where people are discouraged from hanging out now but old photos show benches loaded with people on the main dock on weekends. Now the Mount often restricts access to the public docks.

The Mount docks in Center Harbor were open to the public and people fished off the dock all the time in the 60s as the Mount spent the nights at Weirs.

My favorite wooden bridge was definitely Governor's Island.