Laconia Passenger Station

Last updated
Laconia Passenger Station
R. R. Station, Laconia, NH.jpg
Postcard of the station from c.1910
USA New Hampshire location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location9-23 Veterans Sq., Laconia, New Hampshire
Coordinates 43°31′44.7″N71°28′19.8″W / 43.529083°N 71.472167°W / 43.529083; -71.472167
Area1.1 acres (0.45 ha)
Built1892 (1892)
Architect Bradford Gilbert
Architectural styleRomanesque, Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 82001667 [1]
Added to NRHPJanuary 11, 1982

The Laconia Passenger Station is a historic railroad station at 9-23 Veterans Square in downtown Laconia, New Hampshire. It was built in 1892 for the Boston and Maine (B&M) Railroad [2] and is a prominent regional example of Richardsonian Romanesque style architecture. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. [1] The building now houses a variety of commercial businesses.

Contents

Description and history

The former Laconia Passenger Station is located on the north side of downtown Laconia, occupying an irregular block formed by North Main Street, Veterans Square, Pleasant Street, and New Salem Street. It is set at an angle to North Main Street, from which it is separated by the grassy area of Veterans Square, and faces roughly southeast. It is a long and roughly rectangular structure, with its northwest side facing where the tracks of the B&M formerly ran. It is built out of granite and red sandstone, and has a central area, the former waiting room, that is 2-1/2 stories in height, with a pyramidal roof. That area is flanked by single-story sections with tall hip roofs, and its front is dominated by a porte-cochère with large rounded arches. The waiting room area features a large sandstone fireplace, and has a floor covered in patterned tile. [3]

The former station in 2010 Laconia RR Station.jpg
The former station in 2010

The station was built in 1892 to a design by New York City architect Bradford Gilbert. [4] It was built for the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad, which was acquired three years later by the Boston & Maine. The size and scale of the station were due in part to the activism of Charles Busiel, a local businessman who was later governor of New Hampshire. It is one of the only 19th-century stations of this scale and architectural sophistication to survive in the state. [3]

The station served the railroad until 1965, with portions of it dedicated to local police and court functions as early as 1963. [3] [5] The building has since been repurposed for commercial uses.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concord, New Hampshire</span> Capital city of New Hampshire, United States

Concord is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2020 census the population was 43,976, making it the 3rd most populous city in New Hampshire after Manchester and Nashua. Governor Benning Wentworth gave the city its current name in 1765 following a boundary dispute with the neighboring town of Bow; the name was meant to signify the new concord, or harmony, between the two towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laconia, New Hampshire</span> City in New Hampshire, United States

Laconia is a city in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,871 at the 2020 census, up from 15,951 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Belknap County. Laconia, situated between Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Winnisquam, includes the villages of Lakeport and Weirs Beach. Each June, the city hosts Laconia Motorcycle Week, also more simply known as "Bike Week", one of the country's largest rallies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston and Maine Railroad</span> Former railroad in New England

The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowell Line</span> MBTA Commuter Rail line

The Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the New Hampshire Main Line of the Boston & Lowell Railroad and later operated as part of the Boston & Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitchburg Railroad</span>

The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900. The main line from Boston to Fitchburg is now operated as the MBTA Fitchburg Line; Pan Am Railways runs freight service on some other portions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham–UNH station</span> Train station in Durham, New Hampshire

Durham–University of New Hampshire station, also known as Durham–UNH station or simply Durham station, is a passenger rail station in Durham, New Hampshire, served by Amtrak's Downeaster line. The historic depot, which now houses the UNH Dairy Bar, is situated just west of downtown Durham on the campus of the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The station is owned by the university, but an adjacent parking area is managed by the town of Durham. On average, about 161 rail passengers board or detrain daily at Durham, making it the third-busiest Amtrak stop in New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellows Falls station</span> Railroad station in Bellows Falls, Vermont, US

Bellows Falls station is an Amtrak intercity rail station located in the Bellows Falls village of Rockingham, Vermont, United States. The station is served by the single daily round trip of the Washington, D.C.–St. Albans Vermonter. It has a single side platform adjacent to the single track of the New England Central Railroad mainline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Concord station</span> Rail station in Massachusetts, US

West Concord station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station located in West Concord, Massachusetts. It is served by the Fitchburg Line. The station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks, with mini-high platforms for accessibility. The adjacent station building, now a restaurant, is not used for railroad purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Railroad Depot</span> United States historic place

The Raymond Railroad Depot is a historic former Boston and Maine railroad station at 1 Depot Street in the center of Raymond, New Hampshire. Built in 1893, it is one of the state's finest and least-altered 19th-century stations. It is presently operated by the Raymond Historical Society as a museum, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crawford Depot (Carroll, New Hampshire)</span> United States historic place

Crawford Depot, also known as Maine Central Passenger Railway Station, is a historic passenger railroad station at the top of Crawford Notch in the Bretton Woods area of the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. Built in 1891, it is a surviving emblem of the importance of the railroad in the area's history as a tourist destination, and is one of the finest examples of Queen Anne railroad architecture in northern New England. Now home to a visitors center operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is also the northern terminus of most trains on the "Notch Train" service of the Conway Scenic Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville Historic District (Nashua, New Hampshire)</span> Historic district in New Hampshire, United States

The Nashville Historic District in Nashua, New Hampshire is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1984. It encompasses an area just north of downtown Nashua, roughly centered on the junction of Concord, Amherst, and Main streets. Its southern bound is the Nashua River and Railroad Square, its eastern bounds are Railroad Square, Clinton, Lock, Orange, and Concord streets, its northern bound is Mount Pleasant Street, and its western boundary is Abbott, Amherst, Concord, and Main streets between the northern and southern bounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White River Junction Historic District</span> Historic district in Vermont, United States

White River Junction Historic District is a historic district in the unincorporated village of White River Junction, within the town of Hartford, Vermont. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and its boundaries were increased in 2002 and 2019. It originally encompassed the central portion of the village's business district, and was then expanded to include a broader array of resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamberlin House (Concord, New Hampshire)</span> Historic house in New Hampshire, United States

The Chamberlin House is a historic house at 44 Pleasant Street in Concord, New Hampshire. Built in 1886, it is a prominent local example of Queen Anne architecture built from mail-order plans, and now serves as the clubhouse of the Concord Women's Club. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alton Bay station</span> United States historic place

Alton Bay station is a former railroad station on New Hampshire Route 11 in Alton Bay, New Hampshire. Built in 1907 by the Boston and Maine Railroad, it is a surviving reminder of the importance of the railroad to the development of Alton Bay as a summer resort community. The building, now in use as a community center, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as Alton Bay Railroad Station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashland station (New Hampshire)</span> United States historic place

The Ashland Railroad Station is a historic train station at 39 Depot Street in Ashland, New Hampshire. Built in 1869 and remodeled in 1891, it is a well-preserved example of a rural 19th-century railroad station. It is now a museum operated by the Ashland Historical Society. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandown Depot</span> United States historic place

The Sandown Depot is a former railroad station of the Boston and Maine Railroad in Sandown, New Hampshire. Built in 1873–74, it is the best-preserved of stations built by the Nashua and Rochester Railroad to survive, remaining relatively unaltered since its construction, and still at its original location. It is now a local history museum, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gale Memorial Library</span> United States historic place

The Gale Memorial Library is the public library of Laconia, New Hampshire. It is located at 695 Main Street in a Richardsonian Romanesque building, whose 1901–03 construction was funded by a bequest from Napoleon Bonaparte Gale, a local banker. The building was designed by Boston architect Charles Brigham, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laconia District Court</span> United States historic place

The Laconia District Court is located at 26 Academy Street in Laconia, New Hampshire, in a Second Empire brick structure which was built by the city in 1886-87 to house its high school. It was designed by Frederick N. Footman of Boston, though preliminary designs had been obtained from Dow & Wheeler of Concord, New Hampshire. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire Veterans' Association Historic District</span> Historic district in New Hampshire, United States

The New Hampshire Veterans' Association Historic District encompasses a large cluster of late 19th-century summer resort properties in the Weirs Beach area of Laconia, New Hampshire, United States. The district is a nearly 8-acre (3.2 ha) area developed by the New Hampshire Veterans' Association, which was formed to support summer reunions of veterans of the American Civil War. Over the following decades the group expanded its range to encompass veterans from all of the United States' war efforts. The architecture of the resort area the association developed is distinctive, as the resort houses were built to accommodate entire regiments. The district includes 18 buildings, five of which front on Lakeside Avenue and have expansive views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Weirs Beach area. Most of the remaining buildings are located on Veterans Avenue, which runs roughly parallel to, and behind, Lakeside Avenue. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Manchester, New Hampshire)</span> Historical railway union station demolished in the 1960s

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Railroad Atlas of North America: North East USA. Steam Powered Video. p. 32.
  3. 1 2 3 "NRHP nomination for Laconia Passenger Station". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  4. "New Concord & Montreal Passenger Station at Laconia, N.H." Boston Globe. August 23, 1892. p. 12 via Newspapers.com.
  5. O'Connell, Richard W. (August 18, 1968). "Old railroad depots take on new careers". Boston Globe. p. A-1 via Newspapers.com.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Laconia Passenger Station at Wikimedia Commons