Newington Railroad Depot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Newington Railroad Depot
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bloody Point Rd., Newington, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 3.9 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1873 |
| Built by | Portsmouth and Dover Railroad |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000187 |
| Added to NRHP | April 19, 2010 |
The Newington Railroad Depot is a historic train station located on Bloody Point Road in Newington, New Hampshire. It was built in 1873. This building was very unusual because it served many purposes. It was a place for passengers and freight (goods), and it was also the home of the station manager. This manager even collected tolls for a nearby bridge! Today, it is the only train-related building from the 1800s that still stands in Newington. The building is currently empty and is owned by the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 because of its importance.
Discovering the Newington Train Depot
The old Newington Railroad Depot is found near the very end of Bloody Point. This area is a piece of land that sticks out into the water. It separates Great Bay from the Piscataqua River in New Hampshire. The depot building sits on the west side of where the train tracks used to be. The land around it, about 3.9 acres, still has parts of an old bridge foundation.
What the Depot Looks Like
The depot is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The side of the building that faced the train tracks has one door. This door used to lead into the waiting room for passengers. On the other side of the building, facing west, there are two more entrances.
The Depot's Many Jobs and Its History
The Dover and Portsmouth Railroad built this station in 1873. It was made to help people travel and to move goods by train. It also provided a home for the station manager. It was rare for train stations to combine all these jobs, including housing, in one building. This depot is special because it is still very well preserved.
A bridge was finished in 1874, crossing the mouth of Great Bay. This bridge had a single train track. It also had space for horse-drawn carriages and people walking. The station manager at the depot had many important roles. Besides managing the station, they collected money (tolls) from people and carriages using the bridge. They also operated a special part of the bridge called a swing section. This part could open up to let boats pass through the water.
The Newington Railroad Depot stayed busy until 1934. That's when the General Sullivan Bridge was completed. After that, the old train line was no longer used. The train tracks near the depot were removed in 1940.
