Rockingham Junction Station - Newmarket/Newfields, NH - Train Stations/Depots on Waymarking.com

The Rockingham Junction Station, which borders the towns of Newmarket and Newfields, NH, is the sole remaining structure in what was once a bustling interchange of two railroad lines and a state highway. According to history sources, the station was built in 1890 (one source says 1896), and is at the northwest corner of the track crossing. A restaurant named the R. E. Graves, or Rockingham Cafe, was at the southwest corner of the crossing, a freight depot building was at the northeast corner, and some shops were at the southeast corner. The station served the Boston & Maine Portsmouth branch (Southern Division) to the east and west, and the Boston & Maine Western Division main line to the north and south. NH Route 108 once crossed over the rails here as well, until it was redirected to overpasses just east of the junction, an arrangement that is still in place today. Because the station borders on two towns, the property is taxed by both towns. The station closed in 1979.
Over time, the restaurant was destroyed by fire, the shops went away, and, more recently, in 2007, the freight depot building was demolished because it deteriorated beyond repair.

The tracks of the Portsmouth Branch from Newfields to Manchester have been shut down some 30 years ago, and all the rails were taken up. It has since been converted to a rail trail, the Rockingham Recreational Trail, Portsmouth line. The Portsmouth Branch, from the crossing to Portsmouth, are still active, used by Pan Am for freight service. The Western Division is also active, sharing usage with Pan Am Railways for freight, and AMTRAK for passenger service, aka the 'Downeaster' train.

The station building has since been purchased from Guilford Transportation (now Pan Am Railways) by a private owner in 2004, and efforts to restore the station have taken place since then. Reports say that the present owner had plans to make the station into a restaurant and bar, but at the present time, work on the building has come to a standstill, for reasons unknown. At the very least, it has been rescued from a state of neglect and subsequent deterioration, and stands a good chance of becoming something besides a memory, much like the area around it. The photos I took are in a form of rotary sequence, to show all sides.

Advisory: The building is private property and not open to the public at this time. The railroad tracks are active. Avoid walking on or near the tracks, and do not attempt to enter the station building.

Please follow the links below for more photos, and an excellent essay by local railroad enthusiast Matt Cosgro.


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Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No Is the station/depot open to the public?: No If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?: Currently undergoing renovation What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: B&M Portsmouth Branch, B&M Western Division (now Pan Am / Amtrak) Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]

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