Text and Photos by Judi Platt
WRJ replica at Glory Days
For some, two local historic railroad depots are destinations in themselves. For others, they are stops on a journey. One, nestled in the quiet countryside, shrouds visitors in an aura of nostalgia while the other bustles with activity in a revitalized downtown. Their places in time and utility, notwithstanding, Potter Place Station in Andover, NH and the White River Junction Station in Vermont delight both history and railroad buffs, alike.
There are no hills in sight, but when approaching mile 34 on the abandoned rail bed that is now the Northern Rail Trail (NRT), the leaves that frame the trail seem to sing out, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,” as cyclists’ and hikers’ legs beg for a break. A bright red caboose comes into sight as some travelers risk missing an encounter with local history and a welcome refuge as they whiz down the multi-use recreational trail where trains once traveled between Boston and Montreal.
At first glance, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it depot in Andover, NH looks abandoned. A stack of vintage suitcases awaits passengers who will never claim them. The caboose and a wooden hand-car—that seesaw on a raft on wheels used by workers to inspect the rails—straddle some remaining steel tracks. A scene from Mel Brooks’ iconic movie Blazing Saddles comes to mind, but there is no sinking feeling when visiting Potter Place.
Named for Richard Potter, a 19th century African-American ventriloquist and magician who lived with his wife, Sally, on a 75-acre farm across from the station, the village is no illusion. Time a visit for a weekend afternoon between Memorial Day and October, and volunteers from the Andover Historical Society will take you back to the late 1800s and early 1900s as they demonstrate various tools and gadgets in the station (built in 1874) and the J.C. Emons General Store and Post Office across the street.
The picnic tables, shade trees, and a portable toilet across from the station beckon visitors, especially those who pedal the 58-mile-long Northern Rail Trail that extends from Boscawen, NH to Lebanon, NH for a refreshing pause. Even in the dog days of August, the air moistens and dips a few degrees as you descend stairs to benches in a hidden shade garden of hostas and ferns carved into the hillside behind the picnic area. This is a place for rest and reflection far removed from Wi-Fi, talking gas pumps, and soccer schedules.
Inside Potter Place Station
The Andover Historical Society attracts hundreds of visitors to the area with its annual Old Time Fair held the first Sunday in August on the museum’s grounds. Potter Place captivates both the generation that dog-eared pages of The Little-Engine-that-Could Golden Book and the one that grew up playing with Thomas and Friends toys.
Across the river (and highway) northwest of Eastman, White River Junction (WRJ) Station is still in operation, serving passengers on Amtrak’s Vermonter that runs daily between Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, VT, and on seasonal excursions on the Green Mountain Railroad. The brick station was built in 1937 after a fire destroyed a previous one in 1911. A contrast to Potter Place, White River Junction (WRJ) thrives on activity rather than rest and repose. However, train passengers traveling in either direction find themselves passing through tranquil countryside with nothing but the sound of rhythmic clacking within minutes.
Caboose and hand-car aside the Northern Rail Trail
The area around the WRJ station is the site of Glory Days, a weekend festival featuring food, music, crafts, children’s activities, and train excursions that draws hundreds to the city. A model train exhibit in the restored station, especially the displays built with Legos, is very popular with young visitors. The 26th Annual Glory Days Festival will be held on September 8 and 9, 2018.
A Visitors’ Center is located in the old freight house next door to the New England Transportation Institute and Museum, an organization dedicated to preserving the region’s transportation history. During summer and fall, vintage diesel engines transport 1930s passenger cars north along the Connecticut River to Thetford, VT. Don’t miss the 1892 B&M 4-4-0 steam locomotive restored for the 1939 New York City World’s Fair and donated to White River Junction in 1957.
Plans are underway to extend the Northern Rail Trail from its current terminus in Lebanon to White River Junction. When completed, it will be possible to travel the NRT from the Potter Place Station to the White River Junction Station, making it a true “rail” experience.
Judi Platt grew up watching for the railroad workers on hand-cars that passed through her neighborhood in New England. She now enjoys watching trains when in Montana where mile-long freight trains are a regular sight.
