Concord railroad signal building included in Seven to Save list
Published: 10-09-2024 5:10 PM |
A small, dilapidated building that once controlled railroad traffic throughout the region but has been on the verge of being demolished for years has been included on the latest Seven to Save list.
“Because physical examples of railroad history and the intricacies of railroad operations are becoming increasingly rare, this tower’s pending demolition prompted a stronger grassroots opposition than would be expected for such a small building. Advocates are hoping its small size makes the rescue and reuse a manageable and doable project,” the N.H. Preservation Alliance said in a release announcing this year’s list of properties in need of preservation.
The 800-square-foot brick structure between the Gasholder and the highway in south Concord was built before World War I by the Boston & Maine Railroad as part of the massive Concord rail yard, which was one of New England’s major rail hubs for a century. It operated as the yard’s signal tower until about 1980, and then served for a time as headquarters of New England Southern, a small local railroad firm. That ended after Pan Am Railways took over much of B&M’s freight operation. The building has been empty since about 1985, subject to vandalism and decay.
Pan Am was bought in 2022 by rail giant CSX, which planned to tear down the signal tower until Concord’s Demolition Review Committee agreed that the building was historically significant and should be saved. But its future remains uncertain, which prodded the decision to add it to the annual Seven to Save list.
The building is close to the grounds of the Gasholder building, which is also subject to long efforts to preserve a historically important building that has no current use.
In its announcement, the Preservation Alliance said the signals tower offered reuse possibilities such as “office, exhibit and meeting space that will complement redevelopment underway in Concord’s South End, including the anticipated investment in the nearby historic Gasholder.”
Other structures on the Seven to Save list include the Ashuelot Manufacturing Company Boarding House in Winchester, the town halls in Jackson and New Ipswich, and the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro.
The list also includes Old Home Days, an annual event dreamed up by then-Gov. Frank Rollins in 1899 as a way to help struggling rural towns.
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Although Old Home Days was once a major part of the New Hampshire social calendar, the Preservation Alliance lamented that “today, fewer than 40 communities routinely host the event, and this special celebration often rests on the shoulders of a few dedicated volunteers. More people and resources are needed to help keep this New Hampshire tradition alive and realize a new version of its social and economic goals.”