Sandown Depot facts for kids
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Sandown Depot, Boston and Maine Railroad
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Depot Rd., Sandown, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1873 |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002167 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
The Sandown Depot is an old train station in Sandown, New Hampshire. It used to be part of the Boston and Maine Railroad. This station was built a long time ago, between 1873 and 1874. It is special because it is the best-preserved station from the old Nashua and Rochester Railroad. It still looks much like it did when it was first built. Today, the Sandown Depot is a museum where you can learn about local history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Later, in 2011, it was also listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.
Contents
What Does the Sandown Depot Look Like?
The Sandown Depot is located in the northern part of Sandown village. You can find it near Main Street, between Depot Road and an old train track path. This path is now a fun walking and biking trail called the Rockingham Recreational Trail.
Building Features and Design
The station is a single-story building made of wood. It is about 20 feet wide and 50 feet long. The outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The roof is wide and not very steep. Its edges stick out far from the building. These edges are held up by big, strong supports called knee brackets.
On the side of the building where the trains used to run, there is a window that sticks out. This window allowed the station master to see the tracks clearly. Next to this window, a tall pole called a semaphore used to stick through the roof. Semaphores were signals that told train engineers when it was safe to go.
Inside the Old Train Station
Inside the Sandown Depot, there were different areas for different uses. There were separate waiting rooms for men and women. This was common in the past. There was also a large space for storing freight, which means goods that were shipped by train. The station master had an office here. This is where they would manage train schedules and send messages using a telegraph. Some parts of the inside have been updated over the years.
A Brief History of the Sandown Depot
The Nashua and Rochester Railroad built this station in 1873–74. This railroad company later became part of the larger Boston and Maine Railroad. The Sandown Depot was a very important spot on this busy single train track.
The Depot's Role in the Community
The station offered many services to the town. It had a telegraph office for sending messages. There was also a post office, making it easy to send and receive mail. The freight depot allowed businesses to ship goods. There was even a large side track area where up to 62 train cars could be parked. Because of all these services, the Sandown Depot became a central place for people in the rural town of Sandown. It was a hub of activity and connection.
From Train Station to Museum
Train traffic started to slow down in the early 1930s. By 1935, the train tracks were removed. The depot building was then used by the state highway department. They used it as a storage place from 1934 until 1977. After that, the building was turned into a local history museum. Now, visitors can explore the old station and learn about Sandown's past.
See also
