Contoocook River
Covered railroad bridge in village of Contoocook
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Location
Country	United States
State	New Hampshire
Counties	Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack
Towns	Jaffrey, Peterborough, Bennington, Antrim, Hillsborough, Henniker, West Hopkinton, Contoocook, Penacook
Physical characteristics

Source	Contoocook Lake
• location	Jaffrey
• coordinates	42°48′4″N 72°1′38″W / 42.80111°N 72.02722°W / 42.80111; -72.02722
• elevation	1,007 ft (307 m)

Mouth	Merrimack River
• location	Penacook
• coordinates	43°17′11″N 71°35′23″W / 43.28639°N 71.58972°W / 43.28639; -71.58972
• elevation	242 ft (74 m)
Length	71 mi (114 km)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Nubanusit Brook, North Branch, Warner River, Blackwater River
• right	Gridley River

The Contoocook River (/kənˈtʊkək/ ^ⓘ) is a 71-mile-long (114 km)^[1] river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction. Four covered bridges span the river, one in the town of Henniker, one on the Hancock-Greenfield line, and two in the town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire with one being in the village of Contoocook, and the other in the populated place of West Hopkinton. Residents and tourists have made the Contoocook popular for fishing and whitewater boating.

The name Contoocook came from the Pennacook tribe of Native Americans and perhaps means "place of the river near pines". Other variations of the name include the Abenaki meaning "nut trees river" or Natick language meaning "small plantation at the river."^[2]^[3]

The river gives its name to Contoocook, New Hampshire, a census-designated place (CDP) within the town of Hopkinton.

Principal tributaries

From south to north:

Nubanusit Brook begins at Nubanusit Lake in Nelson and joins the Contoocook in Peterborough.
The North Branch of the Contoocook starts in Stoddard and joins the main stem in Hillsborough.
The Warner River starts in Bradford and joins the Contoocook in Hopkinton.
The Blackwater River begins at Pleasant Lake in New London and joins the Contoocook in Hopkinton.

References

External links

Merrimack River watershed

Towns

Landmarks

Rivers of New Hampshire by drainage system

Gulf of Maine

Atlantic coastal tributaries	Blackwater River Browns River Drakes River Hampton River Hampton Falls River Little River Old River Taylor River
Merrimack River watershed	Baboosic Brook Back River Baker River Bear Brook Beards Brook Beaver Brook Beebe River Big River Black Brook Blackwater River Cockermouth River Cohas Brook Contoocook River East Branch Baker River East Branch Pemigewasset River Fowler River Frazier Brook Gridley River Gunstock River Lane River Little River (Big River) Little River (Merrimack River) Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook Little Suncook River Lost River Mad River Melvin River Merrimack River Merrymeeting River Middle Branch Piscataquog River Moosilauke Brook Nashua River Newfound River Nissitissit River North Branch Contoocook River North Fork East Branch Pemigewasset River Nubanusit Brook Pemigewasset River Pennichuck Brook Piscataquog River Powwow River Purgatory Brook Red Hill River Salmon Brook Shedd Brook Smith River Soucook River Souhegan River South Branch Baker River South Branch Piscataquog River South Branch Souhegan River Spicket River Squam River Stony Brook Suncook River Tioga River Turkey River Warner River West Branch Mad River West Branch Souhegan River West Branch Warner River Winnipesaukee River
Merrymeeting Bay (Androscoggin River watershed)	Androscoggin River Chickwolnepy Stream Clear Stream Dead River Dead Diamond River East Branch Dead Diamond River Little Dead Diamond River Little Magalloway River Magalloway River Middle Branch Dead Diamond River Middle Branch Little Magalloway River Mollidgewock Brook Moose Brook Moose River Peabody River Rattle River South Branch Little Dead Diamond River Swift Diamond River West Branch Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Magalloway River West Branch Magalloway River West Branch Peabody River Wild River
Piscataqua River watershed	Bean River Bellamy River Berrys River Branch River Bunker Creek Cochecho River Ela River Exeter River Fresh River Isinglass River Jones Brook Lamprey River Little River (Brentwood) Little River (Exeter) Little River (Lamprey River) Mad River North River North Branch River Oyster River Pawtuckaway River Piscassic River Piscataqua River Rattlesnake River Salmon Falls River Squamscott River Winnicut River
Saco Bay (Saco River watershed)	Bearcamp River Beech River Chocorua River Cold River (Bearcamp River) Cold River Cutler River Dan Hole River Deer River Dry River East Branch Saco River East Branch Whiteface River East Fork East Branch Saco River Ellis River Little Cold River Lovell River Mad River Middle Branch Mad River Mill Brook New River Ossipee River Pequawket Brook Pine River Rocky Branch Saco River Sawyer River Shepards River South River South Branch Mad River Swift River (Bearcamp River) Swift River (Saco River) West Branch Whiteface River Wildcat Brook Wonalancet River

Long Island Sound

Connecticut River watershed

Authority control databases

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Israel United States

Principal tributaries

See also

References

External links