Lakeshore Railroad - Part Two

[mcdude]

(From the Walker Collection) Is this Belknap Point Station (as the photo is labeled) or the Loon Cove Station? The Loon Cove Station is pictured below and sure looks similar.

Welcome to Part Two of the Lakeshore Railroad thread....the sequel! Since posting the last thread, I've found more related items and others have seemed to find me. Also thanks to forum folks (who wish to remain anonymous) for sending along photos and cards. All images are from the "mcdude collection" unless otherwise noted. Images from the "Walker Collection" are utilized with permission. (My release is in the mail)

All scanned narrative written by Dana Philbrick in his article "The Lakeshore Railroad: The First Forty Years" See references below and many thanks to the B&M Historical Society for their permission to use this text.

To see the previous thread (Part One) CLICK HERE

On our previous journey we visited most of the major stations on the line but several of the flagstop or "whistlestop" stations were left out. Once again, we will travel from the south and up the lake in a northwesterly direction with images in geographical order as one would travel if they were on the train.

Nancy's Crossing - New Durham, NH - On the way up to the bay.
The Grain Storage Building in Alton Village. Recently revitalized to become part of the new Alton Village Railroad Park. (From Alton's MAIN STREET monthly newspaper. Feb. 2005 - Volume XXI Number 2)

CLICK HERE to read more about the proposed railroad park plans.




photo contributed by Conrad

I always assumed a grade crossing at Main Street. Had no idea there was a bridge!
Freight building and railroad car next to Alton Police station to become part of the new Railroad Park. (Photo taken February 2005)

LAKESHORE RAILROAD LIST OF STATIONS
Stations listed in red were not listed in the last posting. There are twenty in all.
1.- Alton Bay
2.- Keewaydin
3.- Loon cove
4.- Buckley
5.- Brookhurst
6.- Mount Major
7.- Woodlands
8.- West Alton
9.- Smith's Point
10.- Spring Haven
11.- Ames
12.- Terrace Hill
13.- Lakeshore Park
14.- Greystone
15.- Belknap Point
16.- Glendale
17.- Gilford or Sanders
18.- Meadow Brook
19.- Lily Pond
20.- Lakeport - End of the Line

ENTERING ALTON BAY


(From the RattlesnakeGal Collection) This card depicts very well the bridge next to the Winnipesogee House that the trains had to pass under before arriving at the Alton Bay Station.

Any photos depicting the old station are from before 1906 since the old station burnt in that year.


Click here to SUPER-SIZE this print

(From the Walker Collection)


(From the Walker Collection) The track crew - 1890.

(From the RattlesnakeGal Collection)
To see many more views of the Alton Bay stations and trainyard CLICK HERE for the JacksonB Collection
Two locomotives and crew at the Alton Bay Station.

[mcdude]

Moving out of Alton, we cross the Back Bay Trestle and head towards the Keewaydin Whistlestop.
(From the Walker Collection) Keewaydin Station. This area is approximately across from Precious Gardens on Rt. 11. Now a group of cottages.

Train at Loon Cove Station (or is it Belknap Point?)
It appears that in order to get into Loon Cove you had to first go under the railroad bridge and then this bridge which must have been the road. (?)
The Loon Cove Bridge today considerably built up when the new Rt. 11 came through.



From Loon Cove we pass through Buckley, Brookhurst,


Mt. Major and Woodlands before reaching West Alton.


Click here to SUPER-SIZE print (above)
(From the Walker Collection) West Alton Station in 1930. This station was purchased in 1982 and refurbished as a private home. Now for sale!





Click here to SUPER-SIZE this print
Next stop....Smith's Point
Smith's Point as seen from Rattlesnake Island.

Click here to SUPER-SIZE this article
After passing Spring Haven we are at the Ames Stop.
In this card you can see the old rail bed and telegraph poles.
CLICK HERE for additional photo of Ames

Ames Farm in 1918 clearly showing the tracks and telegraph poles.

As Rose pointed out above....the old Ames Station has been moved across the street and is now used as a guest cottage. (Photo taken April 2005)


From "Lake Winnipesaukee" a promotional booklet put out by the Boston and Maine Railroad. No publisher or date.
Next stops are Terrace Hill, Lakeshore Park, Greystone and Belknap Point.


Terrace Hill Whistlestop - from the carguy collection

The Greystone Whistlestop
(From the Walker Collection) Approaching Belknap Point circa 1895.


Belknap Point Station - from the carguy collection

Glendale Station.
CLICK HERE for the Glendale Station in the snow.

Glendale Station

The Lady of the Lake was sunk at Glendale.
Showing the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad's markings. Built in 1849. In 1893 the machinery was removed and the remains of her hull served as living quarters for the workers building Kimball's Castle. Sunk in Glendale in 45 feet of water after being loaded with rocks and holes bored in her hull. From the Walker Collection.



Benjamin Kimball
"During his long affiliation with the railroads of New Hampshire, Kimball applied his administrative and mechanical expertise to the upgrade of the systems and he built beautiful new stations using state of the art equipment. He consolidated small connecting systems and continually fought off attempts by the Grank Trunk Line to install a north—south route from Vermont to Boston in direct competition with the Concord and Montreal. The Grank Trunk Plan failed after Kimball had stated his lines efficiently served Boston and that his lines could also handle any and all freight coming from Canada that was destined for Boston or points south. Also, Kimball built a railroad spur from Dover to Glendale titled the Lakeshore Railroad and he appropriately changed the railroad line’s name to the Concord, Montreal, and Lakeshore Railroad.



Kimball continued to exert a powerful influence on New Hampshire’s railroad lines and soon his line discovered a second growing opportunity in the business of tourism. They took over ownership of the Lady of the Lake, a steamboat on Lake Winnipesaukee, complimenting his rail monopoly in the Lakes Region. The Lady brought passengers from Alton to Center Harbor and was in hot competition with the steamships Dover, which was owned by the Boston and Maine Railroad, the Chocurara, and the Jim Bell. However, the competition just about ended when the Boston and Maine built the biggest and fastest ship on the Lake, the Mount Washington.

Kimball’s Castle

In 1893, after an eighteen-year rivalry, competition won out and the Lady of The Lake was towed to Glendale to provide living quarters for his latest project. Kimball had taken a trip to Germany and while sailing down the Rhine River gazed in awe at the wondrous castles on the hilltops. So on top of Locke’s Hill in Gilford, Kimball set out to build an exact replica of a castle he had seen on the Rhine. It would command a panoramic view of the land around the Lakes Region, and it must have occurred to him that he could keep an eye on his marine activities, while listening to the soothing sound of his locomotives puffing down the Lakeshore line through Glendale. Kimball’s Castle would stand tall as one of the greatest summer homes of New Hampshire for decades to come.

Work started on the castle in 1897 and took two years to finish. Nothing was spared and no detail left out to keep the castle from being a fitting place for his family to spend a good part of the year there, which usually went from early spring to late October.

From the Walker Collection

The stone used to build the castle was hauled to the building site by oxen from the construction site on the south side of Locke’s hill, but since a part of the Lakeshore Railroad just happened to run by the site, the cut granite used for the parapets was hauled by rail from Concord. An English architect, who also made all of the interior furnishings, designed most of the woodwork and ironwork. Then it was shipped over to Boston by boat, where it traveled to Locke’s hill on the Lakeshore line. However, oxen carried it directly to the castle and it was then re-assembled inside."
From http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/kimball.htm
Glendale Station

[mcdude]

View topographical map for this area with railroad route shown CLICK HERE
(Put cursor over map and click on icon to enlarge)

May 11, 1934 Train Ticket

December 10, 1888 - LACONIA DEMOCRAT "The sound of dynamite was heard continuously day and night."


This card shows the Lakeport Station dead center with the top of Paugus Bay immediately behind. The tracks to the Weirs bear off to the left while the tracks for the Lakeshore Railroad went straight along the right side of the bay. Union Avenue is running along the tracks to the right.



Click here to SUPER-SIZE print


Click here to SUPER-SIZE this print
Lakeport Freight building today. (February 2005)
Monies are being requested from the state to renovate this building. SEE RELATED ARTICLE

[mcdude]

B&M Portland Division Employee's - TIMETABLE NO. 25 - Monday - June 20, 1910

To super-size this time table CLICK HERE

[mcdude]

From Lakeport, one could hop on another line to access The Weirs, Meredith or Laconia.



Click here to SUPER-SIZE this narrative

Laconia Station and Gale Library in the Snow - 1905. A print by Peter Furber. This print is available. (click here) and proceeds benefit the Laconia Public Library.

CLICK HERE for an additional photo of the Weirs Station

CLICK HERE for additional photos of Weirs Station and the New Weirs Hotel

The Weirs Station as viewed from the stairs of the New Weirs Hotel

A busy Weirs Station in the early 1900s.
CLICK HERE to learn more about WEIRS History

Meredith Station - 1906


THE DEMISE OF THE LAKESHORE RAILROAD


Click here to SUPER-SIZE the print above

(partial list of) REFERENCES AND RESOURCES

New Hampshire Railroad Stations CLICK HERE

The Walker Transportation Collection CLICK HERE

Philbrick, Dana; "The Lakeshore Railroad: The First Forty Years" - "The B & M Bulletin" - Volume XVI - Number 4

"Main Street" - Alton's Monthly Newspaper - February 2005 - Volume XXI Number 2.

The B & M Historical Society - CLICK HERE

LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE - Circa. 1910 - A promotional booklet circulated by the Boston and Maine Railroad.

Concord Antique Gallery CLICK HERE

The Gunstock Parish: A History of Gilford, New Hampshire - Adair D.Mulligan - Published for the Thompson-Ames Historical Society - Phoenix Publishing - 1995 - A wonderful book. Ms. Mulligan quotes often from Dana Philbrick's B&M Article.


vaguely related topics:
Dover to Lakeport line causes huge fire in Rochester CLICK HERE

[JacksonB]

Your threads just keep getting better and better.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Very well done McD. Thanks for taking the time to put it together!

[mcdude]

I was quite pleased to find the following e-mail in my mailbox today;

February 12, 2004.

Mike:

Per vote of the board of directors of the Boston and Maine
Railroad Historical Society, Inc. on Feb. 12, 2004.

You are hereby granted a license to use the text of "Lake Shore
Railroad, First Forty Years," an article by Dana Philbrook,
which appeared in the Volume XVI, Number 4 (1989) issue of the
B&M Bulletin on pages 12-27. This license is for the use of the
text only. The test is to be used only on the website:
winnipesaukee.com/forums.

Please footnote or attribute the first excerpt to appear on your
site as: "Philbrick, Dana. 'Lake Shore Railroad, First Forty
Years,' B&M Bulletin, Volume XVI, Number 4 (1989), pp. 12-27.
Used by permission of Boston & Maine Railroad Historical
Society, Inc." Subsequent footnotes or attributions may be shown
in briefer language such as "Philbrick, op. cit."

There is no charge for this license because the use is for a
non-profit purpose. The Society reserves all rights to cancel or
modify this license without cause at any time.

Good luck with your project and let me know if any additional
information is required.

Frederick N. Nowell, III "Rick"
Chairman, Archives Committee
Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society

So, I've uploaded this text and interspersed it with the photos I've been working on. I think we're ready for another ride on the railroad!

[glennsteely]

....and as usual, it was worth the wait....Great job!!!

[ces]

What a great history lesson!

Thanks!

ces

[Sunbeam lodge]

It is great to have someone who has the patience and willingness to pull something like this great history lesson together.
You are to be congratulated for your effort.

[Tired of Waiting]

Another GTREAT post. you must have a lot of time on your hands or else you stay up late at knight. Either way you did a great job.

I would also like to thank the B&M Railroad Historical Society for allowing the use of the material in this thread.

ToW

[BroadHopper]

Ncdude,

Across from the Gilford Tennis place on Old Lake Shore Road, next to a trailer park is what looks like another railroad station. It is a private resident. According to my Dad, back in the late 40's early 50's it was the Naughty Pine Grill. Do you know anything about it?

[mcdude]

No, Not really ( I wasn't old enough to drink back then ) ....but it sounds like a great place to hoist a few! Probably an old biker bar? For the life of me, I really can't picture a tennis place in Gilford near a trailer park Near the old K-Mart? possibly this place?

[upthesaukee]

McDude, coming from Alton to Laconia on Rte 11, take a left at the lights at Patricks. At the sharp left hand corner that takes you past where the corn maze was & Beans & greens etc, you need to go straight and not take the left. That is Old Lakeshore Road and the tennis center is down the road a ways, on the right I think.


You probably don't remember it, but back when you were a kid, that road was right on the lake...they then filled in some of the lake and put in an airport, a little strip mall, and B. Mae Denny's...how's that for starting a rumor!!!

[mcdude]

(YUM!!! They have the best home-made pastries, cakes and breads!)
BH: If you are travelling on Rt. 11 from Patrick's Pub towards the Walmart you can still see the old rail bed to the right of the road between the road and Meadowbrook and between the road and the airport. SO...if there is an old RR station over on Old Lakeshore Rd. it was probably moved there. (Maybe when they filled in the lake to build the airport!!!!!????) Thanks Upthesaukee. See Map

[BroadHopper]

If you happen to fly over the airport, between Patrick's ( my ol' watering hole) and the airport you will find a race track. That use to be the 'Gilford Bowl'. You can walk out there and walk around the asphalt. My Dad use to take me there during the fifties to watch the jalopy races. cool.
As for the train station, that is a possibility that it was moved to that site. Is there any indication of a station in the vicnity?

[Dave 35]

I can say with certainy that that station was moved there from a location near the present B'MAYS hotel.Can't remember the year.

[mcdude]

The closest stop to B-Mae's would have been....Sander's...as in Saunder's Bay & also known as the Gilford stop. Would it look anything like this?

[BroadHopper]

Back in the 60's and 70's, I use to hang out at Lake Shore park. I remember a water tower and a maintenance building left of the main road just before the Pavilion. I'm not sure if they are still there. I was told Lake Shore Park was a resort set up by the railroad for the employees. Also the steamer Mt Washington use to stop here regularly at the wharf. Anyone have any comments on this?

[mcdude]

From Adair Mulligan's "The Gunstock Parish" (copyright 1995 by the Thompson-Ames Historical Society)
"It costs twelve cents to ride from Lake Village to Gilford Station, everyone called Sander's. After service ended, the slate-roofed station moved down Old Lakeshore Road to become a residence at No. 321" p. 190.

r.e.: Lakeshore Park, "The Lakeshore Inn and Park on Belknap Point Road were perhaps the most extensive summer development on Gilford's Winnipesaukee shore at the turn of the nineteenth century. The property was originally known as Carr's Point after Richard Carr's early farmstead, which itself was frequented by travellers from Meredith Bridge, bound for Alton or the seacoast. The Lakeshore Railroad, under the urging of its' president, Charles Busiel, purchased the property, intending to create the most popular resort on the southern shore of Winnipesaukee. The company envisioned a resort primarily for railroad employees, with an inn, pavillion, picnic area, tent platforms and a railroad station. Railroad management made certain that Lake Shore Park was a prime destination by both rail and water. The Maid of the Isles stopped there twice a day, and the Lady of the Lake four times a day. The Mount Washington also stopped there, until a shifting sand bar made the dock inaccessible to the big boat." p. 205.

[upthesaukee]

I started coming "upthesaukee" as a toddler, lo those many years ago right at Lake Shore Park. My mom's aunt and uncle (Millie & Jim Foster) had a place at LSP called the "Wee Hoose", scottish dialect for small house, of course. It started out as a wooden platform with a tent, as stated in the article, and evolved into the cottage. Used to sleep on the porch, and Uncle Jim would wake up in the morning, open a cooler in the floor, grab a bottle of whiskey (scotch of course), take a belt out of it, reach over and wake my dad, and give him the bottle. talk about an eyeopener. And it was indeed every day. they had dances at the pavillion for the kids, and then the kids would be taken back to the cottage and put to bed. The adults would then take over dancing, and adults would routinely walk the campground checking the kids to make sure they were ok. (try doing that today) Couldn't spell winnipesaukee, so I would ask if we were going up to Uncle Jim & Aunt Millie's by asking if "we were going up the 'Saukee". And now I are here. Great old memories were just stirred up. Obviously, some of those lobes up there are still working!!!

[cursereversed]

I really enjoyed the pictures and stories. Being from Lakeport, it's great to see pictures of the way it used to look. Thanks so much for your efforts!

[Boardwalk Bluesboy]

What was the total track mileage of the Lake Shore Railroad from Alton Bay to Lakeport? I cannot seem to find this number anywhere in either of the two Lake Shore Railroad threads.

[Soaringeagle]

I think it was 17 1/2 miles