Dry Trestle, Wilderness Trail – Located along the Wilderness Trail in the Pemigewasset Wilderness is an interesting artifact of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948). Like most of the trails in this federally designated wilderness, the Wilderness Trail utilizes the old railroad bed right-of-way of the railroad.
Pictured here in 2010 are the remnants of a dry trestle along the Upper East Branch (today's Wilderness Trail) of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad. The East Branch of the Pemigewasset River is in view on the right side. This dry trestle (or hillside trestle), between North Fork Junction and logging Camp 18 crossed a steep hillside along the railroad. The trestle footings are covered in moss and blend in well with the surroundings.
With the exception of the trestle footings, seen here, little remains of the trestle. The railroad track above trestle No. 17 along the Upper East Branch of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad was removed by 1940, so it is safe to say that the last log trains crossed over this trestle in the late 1920s / 1930s.
Many interesting characters worked for the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad. In the early 1900s, the legendary construction foreman Levi “Pork Barrel” Dumas played a major role in the construction of the railroad. Dumas was responsible for building many of the trestles along the railroad, and he may have supervised the building of this trestle.
More reading:
East Branch & Lincoln Railroad Book
North Fork Junction, Thoreau Falls Trail
North Fork Spur Line, Thoreau Falls Trail
Happy image making..
© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | Historic Information Disclaimer | White Mountains History
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.