RAILROADS

The arrival of railroads in the 1840s turned Lake Winnipesaukee into a major vacation destination. The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad pioneered service to Weirs Beach in 1848. The rival Boston & Maine Railroad built a direct line to Alton Bay in 1851, which eventually branches like the Wolfeboro short line (1872) and Lake Shore Railroad (1890). These lines carried vacationers, mail, and freight, to resort towns around the lake until automobiles eroded demand. Passenger operations largely ceased by the 1950s, but preserved sections still operate as the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, and offer nostalgic rides along Lake Winnipesaukee's western shore.