Historic Wakefield NH

News! Freight House Crew Member earns awards... see below for story & pics

The official website of the town of wakefield heritage commission

Heritage Park Railroad Museum Freight House Crew member and modeler Rich Breton has earned top honors for his "B&M Bulkhead Flatcar", which took first place it the Kit Built Freight Car category in the 2017 Model Contest held during the National Model Railroad Association NER (Northeastern Region) Convention held in Newport, Rhode Island in November. The model, included on the Freight House 1909 layout at the Heritage Park Railroad Museum, depicts a rail car holding four-foot long poplar logs used to make excelsior in the Union mills. Breton also earned high honors for his photography. Three of his photos taken at Heritage Park received recognition as well. The model photo titled, "1909 Reflections of B&M" took Best of Show! His photo, "Flag Stop at Mathews Station" took second place in the model color print category, and his picture, "Fresh Paint on NHN #3823" took honorable mention in the prototype color print category. For a link to the Coupler 268-w model awards newsletter, click the button here. 

​​Established in 1993, the Wakefield Heritage Commission has developed plans to restore areas of the community that reflect the importance of Wakefield in transportation, manufacturing, and farming. With the generous support of volunteers, financial donors, and grants, the first building constructed in the village of Sanbornville, the Garvin Building, was restored. Upon completion, the Wakefield Heritage Commission sold the Garvin Building. It remains a focal point and tribute to the history of the community. In recent years, the Commission, thanks to a small army of talented and generous volunteers, has restored Union Station and the Freight House in Union, the Lovell-Union Grange, and the Spinney Meeting House. In 2014, the Newichawannock Bridge and Canal, built in 1868, was designated as the town's second National Historic District and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Congratulations!

Freight House Crew Member  & Photographer Rich Breton Earns awards

Union Station 

The original station was built approximately in 1854 and replaced by a new station in 1911. This station served as a passenger embarkation and debarkation point for local people, and for many years housed the Union Post Office. Today, Union Station houses numerous artifacts, photographs and antiques related to the region's manufacturing, ice harvesting and railroading heritage.  

Model Railroad Project

Make sure to visit the Heritage Park Railroad Museum this season and marvel at the HO scale model of the Boston and Maine Railroad as it served the five villages of Wakefield in 1909. The model was painstakingly researched for historical accuracy. A team of volunteer ferroenquinologists, which means "students of the iron horse," has dedicated countless hours and resources to the project, which has been in the works for nearly four years. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the craftsmanship!  Click on the link to the "1909 B&M Railroad Model" above for more information and photos.