This page will take you to some locations and sites in Merrimack that you may not be aware of, or are aware of but never visited. This page will be updated on a periodic basis with areas in Merrimack that you may not have visited or been aware of.
1915 McGaw Bridge, The Depot Street Boat Ramp, The Darrah Bridge, The Blaw-Knox Diamond Radio Tower, Fraser Square, Dumpling Brook, Merrimack’s Lost Covered Bridges, Center Home on Fuller Mill Road

Center Home on Fuller Mill Road – 1750 – (posted 06-01-2025)

The Center Home on Fuller Mill Road built in 1750. Most recent tenents of the home the family of Claude Bernier, who passed away in August of 2023. https://www.rivetfuneralhome.com/obituary/claude-bernier. The home had a beautiful centerly located fireplace. Though not confirmed by our records, the home was likely lived in by either James Center or his son Richard H Center in the mid 1800s.

Merrimack’s Lost Covered Bridges – (posted 03-10-2025)

In 1859 two covered bridges were built in Merrimack. Both bridged the Souhegan River, replacing previous uncovered bridges. The ‘upper’ bridge known as Fields/Seaverns bridge was located at the intersection of Amherst & Seaverns Bridge Roads. The downstream or ‘lower’ covered bridge was the Turkey Hill bridge on Turkey Hill road. Both bridges served Merrimack until late into the 1960s when both met their demise as the result of fire, from arson. Below are slideshows with images of these two covered bridges from a bygone era.

Michael Cole, poet, wrote a poem about a covered bridge. His short poem evokes many feelings of that bygone time. His poem is reproduced here.

Additional resources for Merrimack’s Lost Covered Bridges
Turkey Hill Bridge , Turkey Hill Post Card, Fields/Seaverns Bridge

Charles Ireland Journal entry on Bridges

James White, builder of Fields Seaverns Covered Bridge – Merrimack Annual Report 1859-1860 with cost to build the bridge – $402.91 paid to James White

Photos from the Todd Clark Collection

More Resources on Merrimack & NH Covered Bridges
Merrimack’s Stowell Road Covered Bridge (from Merrimack TV’s Merrimack Moment)
Town of Merrimack – Turkey Hill Bridge webpage
New Hampshire’s Historic Covered Bridges (current)

Dumpling Brook WMA and Fish Rearing Station – (posted 01-10-2025)

Dumpling Brook Wildlife Management Area (WMA), is a property owned by the State of New Hampshire and managed by NH Fish & Game. Dumpling Brook WMA is made up of thirteen tracts that were acquired between 1947 and 1953 primarily to provide a water source for the Reed’s Ferry Fish Hatchery (aka Rearing Station). The rearing station was closed in the mid-1950s when the expansion and realignment of the Turnpike bisected the property.

What is the meaning of rearing of fish?
The rearing of fish is called pisciculture. Pisciculture is also known by the name fish farming, is defined as the breeding of fish in artificial enclosures (or small natural ponds). The purpose of breeding is its commercial value. Pisciculture is different from aquaculture. The latter includes the rearing of aquatic organisms.

F.E. Everett Turnpike
The F.E. Everett Turnpike was built in the early 1950s and opened in 1955. The Turnpike bisected the Dumpling Brook property and all of Merrimack. The Everett Turnpike is named after Frederick Elwin Everett, who was the first commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, making it directly tied to the state agency responsible for the turnpike’s operation

Dumpling Brook Merrimack Fish Rearing Station Location - Google Terrain View

Dumpling Brook Merrimack Fish Rearing Station Location - Google Satellite View

Dumpling Brook Wildlife Management Area and Merrimack Fish Rearing Station Location

Additional resources for the Dumpling Brook & Fish Rearing Station
More detail on Dumpling Brook from the New Hampshire DOT F.E.Everett Widening Project.
Dick Dickenson worked at the Merrimack Fish Rearing Station. Dick married Alice Dickenson in 1953, a few years before the Fish Rearing Station was closed. Alice was a long time Merrimack resident and teacher.

Fraser Square at DW Highway – (posted 12-12-2024)

Additional resources for the Fraser Square
More detail from the New Hampshire History Blog. Make sure to search on “Fraser” on the blog.
Additional photos of Fraser Square courtesy Mark Nozell.