Logging Railroads


Logging railroads in the New Hampshire White Mountains date back to the 1870s, when the first logging railroad to operate in the White Mountains was built – the John’s River Railroad. Some railroads lasted only for a few years, while others, such as the legendary East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, lasted many years. Now in the 21st-century, some consider the railroad logging era to be the most interesting part of White Mountains history. This work focuses on the history of these abandoned logging railroads, and it also showcases them in their current state.


Can You Identify These Artifacts

Camp 10 - East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, New Hampshire
Can You Identify These Artifacts - When documenting historic sites in the New Hampshire White Mountains one of the biggest challenges I face is trying to identify some of the artifacts I photograph. In the big picture of my historical work, identifying what the artifact is and its purpose is important. And because of this, I have to do an extensive amount of research on some artifacts....[Continue reading] ...

Preserve History, Don’t Remove Artifacts

Charles B. Keyser Homesite - Benton, New Hampshire USA
Don't Remove Historic Artifacts - Here in the New Hampshire White Mountains, outdoor recreation is growing at an alarming rate. And there has been a huge surge of people exploring the many historical sites that are in the region. For historic preservation to be successful, it is imperative that we create awareness for the laws that protect these historical sites....[Continue reading] ...

Logging Era Artifacts, White Mountains

Zealand Notch - White Mountains, New Hampshire
Logging Era Artifacts, White Mountains - Today’s blog article is focused on an image keyword search term. Basically, I chose one search term, in this case “logging era artifacts”, and searched my image archive to see what imagery I have available that represents the New Hampshire White Mountains logging era. The below commentary and imagery showcases this search term.....[Continue reading] ...

Gordon Pond Railroad

Kinsman Notch - White Mountains, New Hampshire
Gordon Pond Railroad, New Hampshire - Owned by the Johnson Lumber Company (George Johnson) the Gordon Pond Railroad was a logging railroad in the towns of Lincoln and Woodstock New Hampshire. It was in operation from 1905-1916, and it was roughly fifteen miles long. And even though the railroad was only about fifteen miles long it is one of the more complicated logging railroads I have documented....[Continue reading] ...

Swift River Railroad

Boulder Loop Trail - Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire
Swift River Railroad, New Hampshire - The Swift River Railroad was a logging railroad in the Swift River Valley of the New Hampshire White Mountains. It was operated by the Conway Company and was in operation from 1906-1916. The railroad began in Conway, at the Conway Company’s sawmill, and traveled up the Swift River Valley following the Swift River and much of today’s Kancamagus Scenic Byway....[Continue reading] ...

East Branch & Lincoln, Forgotten Trestles

Abutments from Trestle 7 of the East Branch & Lincoln Logging Railroad are used to support the foot bridge along the Lincoln Woods Trail in New Hampshire.
East Branch & Lincoln, Forgotten Trestles - In October of 2015, I wrote about the forgotten spur lines along the East Branch & Lincoln (EB&L) Railroad in New Hampshire, and today I am going to continue with this theme and focus on the timber trestles of the railroad. The EB&L Railroad was built by J.E. Henry, and was in operation from 1893-1948 with much of the railroad being in the area we...[Continue reading] ...

East Branch & Lincoln, Abandoned Spur Lines

Owl's Head - Pemigewasset Wilderness, New Hampshire
East Branch & Lincoln, Abandoned Spur Lines - The East Branch & Lincoln Logging Railroad (1893-1948) in the New Hampshire White Mountains has been fairly well documented. And with the current documentation we can get a good idea of the layout of the railroad, first hand accounts from loggers who worked the woods, and though based on educated guesses, we can also decipher the locations of the abandoned logging camp....[Continue reading] ...

Historic Logging Camps, White Mountains

East Branch & Lincoln Railroad
Historic Logging Camps, White Mountains - Most of this summer season I have been documenting history and culture subjects in the New Hampshire White Mountains. The last few blog articles have been historical in nature so today I am going to continue with this theme and introduce you to the late nineteenth and twentieth century camps of White Mountains logging era.....[Continue reading] ...

White Mountains History & Culture

Mt. Cilley Settlement ( Peeling ) - Woodstock, New Hampshire USA
White Mountains History & Culture - For the past couple of weeks, I have been photographing nineteenth century sites linked to the history and culture of the White Mountains. When photographing these abandoned sites, I am reminded that conservation is not just about protecting a parcel of land for guaranteed future recreation. Conservation is also about.....[Continue reading] ...

Abandoned Railroad Beds, White Mountains

Remnants of a spur line along the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad in the Thoreau Falls Valley of the Pemigewasset Wilderness in Lincoln, New Hampshire USA. This was a logging railroad, which operated from 1893 - 1948
Abandoned Railroad Beds, White Mountains - From the late 1800s to the early 1900s railroading was a way of life in the New Hampshire White Mountains, and timber barons dominated. You would think that after all these years no evidence of this era would exist, but it does. If you are a conservation or environmental photographer, some part of the railroading era will.....[Continue reading] ...