NORTHERN RAILROAD

Of the three rail corridors laid out west and north from Concord in central NH to points on the Connecticut River, the Northern survived the longest. It was completed in 1847, with Daniel Webster delivering the keynote address in downtown Lebanon, at a spot just a few yards from where the trail begins today. The fare to Boston via Lowell, Mass, was $4. As with so many other early railroads, the Northern was plagued with financial difficulty throughout its early history. Acquired by the Boston & Maine in 1887, the line flourished for about forty years. With the Depression the Northern Branch joined hundreds of other American railroads in a long decline toward oblivion. Passenger service ended in 1965, with a few freight runs operating into the early 1970s. In 1996, sixty miles of the corridor were acquired by the State of NH for $5m in Federal transportation enhancement funds, to be converted to a recreation trail

BUILDING THE RAILTRAIL

Community groups in Grafton Co. converted the railroad into a trail with funds raised through small State grants and private contributions. Thousands of dollars and many hours of hard work brought forth our beautiful year-round trail.