The Ashuelot River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, approximately long, in southwestern

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in the

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. It drains a mountainous area of , including much of the area known as the

Monadnock Region The Monadnock Region is a region in southwestern New Hampshire. It is named after Mount Monadnock, a 3,165 foot isolated mountain, which is the dominant geographic landmark in the region. Although it has no specific borders, the Monadnock Region i ...

. It is the longest tributary of the Connecticut River within New Hampshire.

Etymology

''Ashuelot'' is a Native American word meaning "collection of many waters".

Course

The Ashuelot River rises out of Butterfield Pond south of Sunapee Mountain in Pillsbury State Park, near

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in southeastern Sullivan County. It flows southwest through

Ashuelot Pond Ashuelot Pond is a New Hampshire GRANIT state geographic information system
water body ...

into Cheshire County, then south past Keene and Swanzey and along the east side of the Pisgah Mountains. At Winchester, approximately from the

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

state line, it turns west, flowing past the village of Ashuelot and joining the Connecticut from the east at Hinsdale, in the extreme southwest corner of New Hampshire. The river is impounded to supply

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

at Marlow, Keene, Swanzey, and Hinsdale. The river is part of the

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of the U.S. government.

Covered bridges

The Ashuelot River has several covered bridges spanning its waters. All are listed on the

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. From source to mouth: * Carleton Bridge N.H. #7 - Swanzey ( South Branch Ashuelot River) * Sawyers Crossing Covered Bridge N.H. #6 - Swanzey * West Swanzey Covered Bridge N.H. #5 - West Swanzey * Slate Covered Bridge N.H. #4 - Swanzey * Coombs Covered Bridge N.H. #2 - Winchester * Ashuelot Covered Bridge N.H. #1 - Ashuelot

Selected tributaries

From source to mouth: *Cherry Brook (headwaters of the Ashuelot) *Butler Brook *Abbott Brook *Grassy Brook *Dart Brook *Thompson Brook * The Branch/Beaver Brook *Ash Swamp Brook * South Branch Ashuelot River *California Brook *Wheelock Brook * Mirey Brook *Broad Brook

References

External links

Keene, NH: Ashuelot River ParkAtlas of the Ashuelot River
(PDF) {{authority control Rivers of New Hampshire Tributaries of the Connecticut River Rivers of Cheshire County, New Hampshire Rivers of Sullivan County, New Hampshire New Hampshire placenames of Native American origin