As a result of previous publicity about missing mileposts on the Northern Rail Trail, Ms. Cindy Richardson of Boscawen recognized that a granite post that had been on the ground back in her woods for years was one of the missing mileposts. It had been there since her father previously owned the property, and she had no idea how or when he acquired it.
It is milepost B-84 (84 miles from Boston). It was found only some 800 feet along the rail trail from its original location. The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail are deeply grateful to Ms. Richardson for recognizing the significance of this historic milepost and offering to return it.
This milepost has now been placed at its original location on the trail. This was made possible by the generous contributions of Mark Thompson, who brought his equipment and expertise to the task, and Ken Newcomb, who did a lot of the wrestling and shoveling. Maneuvering a large granite post that weighs 1,400 pounds into position is quite a project!
The history of these granite mileposts goes back more than 100 years. The Northern Railroad was constructed in 1847, extending 70 miles from Concord to White River Junction, Vermont. The Boston and Maine Railroad took it over in 1887 and incorporated it into their New England railroad system.
Around 1900 to 1905 they installed mileposts along all of their lines. They are massive dressed-granite posts, one foot square, standing four to five feet abovto the ground. On the Northern, one side of the post shows “B” and the mileage to Boston, and the other shows “WRJ” and the mileage to White River Junction.
By the time that the conversion of the Northern rail line to a recreational trail was completed in the late 1990s, many of these historic mileposts had disappeared. Grafton County had lost all but two. Merrimack County had retained most of theirs, although most in Boscawen were gone.
Two of the missing Boscawen mileposts have been located in Boscawen Center. The landowner is at present unwilling to return them to the rail trail.
Two others missing in Boscawen have been replaced with substitutes from a New Hampshire Department of Transportation stockpile. If anyone has any information about the location of these two missing mileposts, please contact the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County at info@nullFNRT.org.