Trains change a way of life

It was during the very early 1830s that our ancestors in Concord witnessed much change. The world was changing, commerce was growing and there were many different industries developing around the young country. These new ventures into business opportunities, as well as enhancement to old businesses, all required the very same resource to sell their wares: transportation. The goods that our forefathers produced needed to be transported to markets in order to grow sales and produce a profit. Quite simple at a glance, but there has always been fierce competition to provide that needed transportation over the past centuries.

It is human nature to be reluctant to change. While our ancestors were comfortable with selling their wares locally, they depended solely on their friends and neighbors to purchase their cider, wheat, flour, fabric and other goods. As other people in other towns developed their businesses and specialized in particular industries, such as textiles in Manchester, the local prices no longer stood a chance at a competitive price locally, so the mass producers would ship their products further to sell more.

It was in 1830 that Peter Cooper raced his steam locomotive, called the Tom Thumb, against a horse. Though Cooper knew the outcome would result in the steam locomotive winning the race with the horse, he primarily meant to persuade people to accept something new. He wished to prove that the potential for steam power was greater than the widely accepted power of horses. His little experiment worked to a great degree and we soon witnessed railroads with steam locomotives transporting both passengers and goods across the country.

The railroad did not reach the area of Concord quite as quickly as some areas such as Boston and New York City, so the old school transportation survived for some additional decades in New Hampshire.

During the summer months, our ancestors witnessed a very busy Main Street here in Concord. There were as many as 50 to 60 freight wagons hauling goods from north to south and east to west, all crossing through the city of Concord each and every day. These large freight wagons were typically very heavily loaded and pulled by as many as a six- or eight-horse team with Main Street Concord being the center of activity. The freight wagons would be covered in large canvas tarps to offer the merchandise beneath a certain amount of protection on the long journeys and Concord offered refuge for the men that traveled the long-isolated roads. The horses would need to rest, stables helped with this, and the drivers would find a room and a meal at the local taverns. Concord being the center of freight activity has provided much to our ancestor’s local economy for many decades.

The Concord Boat House on the Merrimack River would transport goods by barge down to Boston and sometimes out to sea. Many of the freight wagons during the summer months would unload their goods and place them on the Concord barges to travel south along the river. Once the cold New Hampshire weather returned and the Merrimack River froze for the winter, the freight would once again travel by freight wagon as well as freight sleigh until spring offered the river once again.

Many of the winter freight sleighs and wagons would travel from the northern New Hampshire area as well as the entire state of Vermont with their destination being Boston.

Once the deep snow covered Main Street, the many freight sleighs would be joined by two horse sleighs transporting people over frozen ground, many originating from Vermont and traveling to Boston and sometimes numbering in the hundreds as they passed through Concord. Many of the Vermont sleighs and wagons were transporting produce to the market in Boston in hope of a handsome profit.

As the wagons and sleighs sold their goods in Boston they would once again load with provisions and transport wagons and sleighs back to their home towns in New Hampshire and Vermont with goods to be sold or consumed on their farms.

The years passed and the railroad finally arrived in Concord with a beautiful train depot being constructed. Concord remained the center of activity with the development of the railroad and continued to develop and prosper.

The days of sleigh travel over frozen roads have been left in our past and the large freight wagons long departed. Our Main Street remains busy and vibrant with the many shops and activities that bring our citizens together.

As you venture down to Main Street here in Concord on the next cold weekend, enjoy some local shopping and fine dinner, think back to the early years. Listen very carefully for echoes from our past. You might just hear the old sleigh bells still.