[mcdude]

Loon Cove Station renovation nearing completion

$2,500 more needed to finish off building in town park
from the Baysider

ALTON — Many improvements have been made to the Alton B&M Railroad Park since its creation in 2004, with the latest being a walkway that connects the
park through the woods and over to Hannaford’s Supermarket. But with a little help from the public, the restoration of the Loon Cove Railroad Station can be completed. According to Marty Cornelissen, a total of $2,500 is needed to finish the work inside the park and complete the walkway around the park.
Cornelissen has been involved with the park since its creation in 2004 when the
Downtown Revitalization Committee, which is no longer in existence, helped
create the railroad park. The Loon Cove station was one of 11 stops on the
railroad that ran through Alton and is one of only four still standing. Inside the station contains a waiting room, an agent’s room and a men’s and women’s bathroom. The Lake Shore line was abandoned in 1935, and the tracks were removed the same year. The Loon Cove station was boarded up until sometime
in the 1960s, when it moved a short distance to make way for improve-

ments along Route 11 and then modified for a residence. In 2005, it became vacant and was being vandalized heavily. In 2008, the building was donated to the town of Alton to be moved to the park behind the Alton Town Hall. In order to make the move in 2009, the top of the building was actually removed, which allowed the building to be moved without taking down power lines throughout
town. A tremendous amount of work has been put into the building in order to restore it back to its 1891 state. Additions have been removed, windows have been restored back to their original location, 1,000 pieces of missing slate roof have been donated by Doug Pellowe of Alton, who got them from a period building in Concord, tin work on the roof has been repaired and the building has received a coat of primer to seal it. All repairs and changes were based on the information
from the 1915 Boston & Maine revaluation and assessment field notes.

Cornellisen has been working with his brother Mike Cornellissen on the project of restoring the building. The Alton B&M Railroad Park was voted one of the
top 10 Little Adventure Parks for 2011 in New Hampshire by NH Magazine.
Anyone interested in making a donation to the project can send a check to:
Town of Alton Loon Cove Station Project, PO Box 659, 1 Monument Square, Alton,
NH 03809.

Tim Croes can be reached at tcroes@salmonpress.com