Alton Bay station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Alton Bay Railroad Station
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 164 NH 11, Alton, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Killam, Lewis |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001124 |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 1983 |
The Alton Bay station is an old train station located in Alton Bay, New Hampshire. It was built in 1907 by the Boston and Maine Railroad. This building is a cool reminder of how important trains were for Alton Bay to become a popular summer vacation spot. Today, it's not a train station anymore! It's used as a community center for everyone to enjoy. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Exploring the Alton Bay Train Station
The old Alton Bay train station sits near the southern end of Alton Bay. This part of the bay stretches south from the main Lake Winnipesaukee. The station is on a thin piece of land. The bay is on one side, and New Hampshire Route 11 is on the other.
What the Station Looks Like
This building is made of wood and has 1-1/2 stories. It has a sloped roof and its outside walls are covered with shingles. The side facing west used to be where the train tracks were. On this side, the roof hangs over a porch. Square columns and big wooden brackets hold up this porch.
The lower part of the walls on this side has special wood panels. There's also a part that sticks out in the middle. This was where the stationmaster worked. The north and east sides of the building have another porch with a shed-style roof. The railroad added this porch when the station was still busy.
Inside, the station has been changed a lot over the years. But some original parts are still there. You can still see the beadboard ceilings and walls. Most of the original bathroom areas are also still the same.
A Brief History of the Station
Train service came to Alton Bay in 1851. The Cocheco Railroad brought trains here. At the same time, they started steamship service on the lake. This made Alton Bay a busy transfer spot. People could switch from trains to boats. This helped the community grow a lot. It became a popular place for travelers and a fun vacation spot.
The Boston and Maine Railroad eventually took over the Cocheco's train line. They leased it in 1863 and bought it in 1892. The station you see today was actually the third one built on this spot. The first two stations were destroyed by fire.
This station stayed a very important travel point. Even when the train line was extended to Lakeport in 1890, Alton Bay was still busy. Train service to Alton Bay stopped in 1935. Two years later, the town bought the building. In 1957, it was turned into the community center it is today.
