Milepost B 104 / WRJ 39 - Andover, NH
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NH2beers
N 43° 26.166 W 071° 50.971
19T E 269384 N 4813189
A stone milepost, marking 104 miles to Boston, MA, and 39 miles to White River Junction, VT, located in the Potter Place district of Andover, NH, on the Northern Rail Trail.
Waymark Code: WMDE5X
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2012
Views: 2
This milepost is located in the village of Potter Place, in Andover, NH, on the Northern Rail Trail. It marks the 104th mile west from Boston, MA, and the 39th mile east from White River Junction, VT. Originally, this road was the Northern Railroad line, established in the late 1840s, running from Boston, MA to White River Junction, VT, and from there up to Montreal, QC. The line was later absorbed by the Boston & Maine Railroad Company in the late 1800s. Rail service on this line ended around 1976, with the rails taken up in the late 1980s. The right of way was purchased by the State of New Hampshire, and has been transformed in sections to the recreational trail it is today.
This milepost, cut from granite, is one of a few such surviving marks along this road. It measures approximately 10-inches square by 4-feet above ground; the actual length of the post total is about 8-feet. It is located to the north of the road. It is uncertain exactly when it was set in place, some history reports say it may have been set by B&M in 1900, but it is also possible it was set by Northern back in 1850. These posts were so well set in place that there are some posts that have geodetic bench marks set in top of them, which is a sign of high stability. The reports also note that these markers, on this line in particular, are set quite accurately in terms of distance.
The painted faces on these stones have been painstakingly restored recently by a local railroad enthusiast, who went so far as to use the correct typeface and size characters used by the rail company in the past. Even though the posts are no longer used by the railroad, they are still fully functional to snowmobilers, bicyclists, and pedestrians using the trail.
Condition: Immaculate
Date placed: 01/01/1900
Material: Stone
Inscription:
West face - B 104, East face - WRJ 39
Name of road: Northern Rail Trail
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