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Orford, New Hampshire, Grafton County

Orford is a rural community on the Connecticut River in western New Hampshire. Home to approximately 1200 people, Orford is known for its historic “ridge” homes, as well as family farms and small businesses. Much of Orford is forested, providing for a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking, boating, snowshoeing and hunting. Chartered in 1761, Orford has a history of close ties with its neighboring towns on the Vermont side of the river. In 1998, Orford and the Vermont towns of Fairlee, West Fairlee and Vershire formed the preK-12 Rivendell Interstate School District. Mount Cube, Sunday Mountain and Cottonstone Mountain, Indian Pond and Upper and Lower Baker ponds are distinctive features of the Orford landscape. The Appalachian Trail passes over the summit of Mt. Cube, and the cross-Rivendell trail connects Orford to neighboring Vermont towns.

Orford is about 18 miles north of Hanover and Dartmouth College, along the scenic Connecticut River Valley. It’s an easy drive to the White Mountains, Franconia Notch State Park, the Kancamagus Highway, and Lake Winnipesaukee.

Idyllic Orford on the Connecticut

Click here to read the article in the New Hampshire magazine about Orford, a “textbook example of a New England small town”

Changes to the Archertown Road Bridge over Jacobs Brook

The bridge on Archertown road over Jacobs brook which is between Dublin and Town Shed roads is scheduled to be rebuilt during the 2025 construction season. Unfortunately it has developed some conditions that now require more engineering study to determine its actual condition. Until those results are known the Selectboard, after discussions with the Road Agent and Police Chief, have instituted some changes to weight limit and traffic patterns for the bridge.

The following changes are now authorized and will be in effect as soon as they can be implemented and appropriate signage installed.
  • The weight limit of the bridge will be lowered to 3 tons. Passenger vehicles only
  • Jersey barriers and wooden rails or partitions will be used to narrow the driving lane to the center 11 feet of the existing width. The bridge  will continue to be posted as a one lane bridge
  • To reduce speed over the bridge Eastbound and Westbound traffic will be required to stop at the bridge
  • New stop signs will be added on the west end of the bridge and just east of the bridge on Archertown road at the Dublin Road intersection. New signs will be installed that indicate: ” Stop ahead”
Dublin road will continue to be a bypass for the bridge. It is a narrow road with a significant drop of on the west side. Slow speed and caution are required on it. Hanover dispatch, the school and local emergency service providers will be notified of the changes. Emergency vehicles will use Dublin road. Response times may increase. Town trucks and school buses will use Dublin road.
An additional announcement will occur when the changes are in place – Orford Selectboard, John Adams, Chair

Notices and Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

December 13, 2023 – Public Hearing to accept Unanticipated Funds will be held in the Selectboard Office at 5:30 pm

Please refer to the Calendar for regularly scheduled meetings

Hike Safe

For your safety and well-being, please refer to these NH Fish & Game Recreational Responsibility Guidelines before heading out to hike Orford’s many beautiful trails

NH Fuel Assistance Program

If you or someone you know is having trouble paying for heat during the winter season, the Fuel Assistance Program (FAP) may be able to provide some relief. Please refer to our Services Page for additional information, or click here to connect to the NH Department of Energy page

Archertown Road Project Update

Week of November 6-10: Seeding and mulching of exposed banks. Final ditch work. Final rough grading. Clean-up and removal of surplus construction materials from the work zone This will result in some road closings during the week.

Week of November 13-17: Final grading and Paving which was postponed by the contractor from Week 6-10, will be done late in the week. Final grading will result in road closures. The expected paving is form the top of the hill section down past Highbridge Rd to Dublin Road intersection. The paving will be a base or shim coat only. Paving will result in road closures. A final drive layer will be applied in 2024 based on funding approval at March 2024 town meeting. There will be no paving on Archertown Road from the hill section east to to the bridge east of Blackberry Hill Road this fall. That will be a warrant article at the March 2024 Town Meeting

Week of November 13-17: Guard rail replacement. At this time the guard rail on the hill section curve has been removed. This replacement work may result in road closures. it will happen after the paving is complete.

Week November 13-17: Culvert and under-drain placement on Archertown Rd between Blackberry Hill Road east to the bridge. This is a last minute addition to the overall project because water was discovered running under the road after the pavement was ground. This will result in a 1-2 day closure of the road.

November 17: At this time the 2023 project will be completed. Road is expected to open.

Road closures can occur 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Trucks hauling materials should be expected on the various approaches to the construction areas.

We will update the schedule when we have firm commitments from contractors – Orford Selectboard