Contoocook Railroad Museum, New Hampshire

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Contoocook, New Hampshire · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Depot museumFreeTypically staffed Friday to Sunday; hours depend on volunteers

The Contoocook Railroad Museum keeps one of New Hampshire's earliest surviving depots, built in 1849, alongside a 1907 passenger coach, a 19th-century section house and the 1889 covered railroad bridge, the oldest of its kind still standing anywhere.

  • Depot built in 1849
  • Oldest surviving covered railroad bridge
  • 1907 wooden passenger coach
  • Late 1800s section house
  • Bought for one silver dollar
  • Run 100% on donations

Contoocook Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Typically Friday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm; summer visitor center hours differ (as posted for 2026)
Admission
Free; donations welcome
Seasonal events
Christmas at the Depot, Online Auction
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families, covered bridge fans and rail historians
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Accessibility
Indoor elevator to the second floor

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Contoocook Railroad Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Contoocook.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

The village's front door, restored by its neighbors

The Contoocook depot opened in 1849 as one of the first substantial passenger stations west of Concord on the Concord & Claremont Railroad. It stood where that line met the Contoocook Valley Railroad, both built by Joseph Barnard, and for more than a century, from 1849 to 1960, it was the commercial center of the village. Railway mail came through it, it served for a time as the post office, it became the public telegraph office in 1866, and when telephones reached Contoocook in 1884, one of the two phone offices was at the depot, with Amos H. Currier as agent.

Its twin stations at West Concord, Bradford and Hillsborough Bridge are long gone. Because the Concord & Claremont stayed a small, thinly funded short line, the Contoocook building was never replaced, and it survives as one of the best preserved gable-roofed Greek Revival depots from New Hampshire's first decade of railroading. Next to it, an 1889 double Town lattice truss bridge replaced an earlier covered span.

In 1999 local residents formed the Contoocook Riverway Association and bought the depot from the Town of Hopkinton for one silver dollar. Starting in the summer of 2002, a roughly three-year, $400,000 project funded by federal grants and community donations brought the depot and the state-owned covered bridge back to their 1910 look: new wood shingles, siding and paint, and a sandblasted, repainted semaphore. Past president Chip Chesley summed up the spirit: people once arrived in Contoocook by rail, so the station was the village's front door. Neighbors returned original pieces too, including the blue enameled Contoocook station sign, a luggage cart and a bench.

Depot, coach, bridge and section house

The depot at 896 Main Street holds the museum and the town visitor center. Inside, look for the two original ticket windows and walls and ceilings still lined with late 1800s tongue-and-groove paneling. Upstairs, renovated in 2013, are museum displays, document archives and a meeting room, reached by stairs or an indoor elevator.

Behind the depot, a wooden Pullman-style passenger coach, donated in 2007, sits on the rails as if ready to roll through the bridge again. Just beyond is the covered railroad bridge, on the National Register and owned by the State of New Hampshire. The grounds also include a late 1800s Boston & Maine section house, recently given a fresh look, the restored semaphore mast and the Lewellen Bandstand. Self-guided tours are offered whenever the depot is open, with guided tours on Saturdays or by appointment.

Don’t miss

  1. The Contoocook Railroad BridgeBuilt in 1889, it is described as the oldest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world.
  2. The 1907 passenger coachA wooden coach parked behind the depot, sometimes even used to host small events.
  3. Original ticket windowsTwo of the depot's original ticket windows survive inside, along with most of the original paneled walls.
  4. The blue Contoocook station signOne of several original pieces that community members returned to the depot.
  5. The semaphoreThe train signal mast was recently replaced as one of the association's completed restoration projects.
  6. B&M section houseA late 1800s railroad work building on the grounds, newly refreshed by volunteers.

A coach to admire and a bridge to see

Kids can see a real wooden passenger coach waiting on the tracks, spot the old semaphore signal and look at a covered bridge built for trains rather than cars. The depot's ticket windows make good pretend play for a ticket agent and a traveler. The Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail starts right at the depot, so families can add a short walk or bike ride.

The building has an indoor elevator to the second floor, which helps with strollers and wheelchairs. Visits are short and free, which suits younger children well.

Plan your visit: tips for Contoocook Railroad Museum

  • Hours depend on volunteers, so call (603) 746-4100 before a special trip.
  • Want to visit outside regular hours? Call or email, and the association will try to have a board member meet you.
  • Guided tours are offered on Saturdays or by appointment.
  • Bring bikes or walking shoes for the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail at the depot.

Each holiday season, the association holds Christmas at the Depot, one of the events on its calendar. Check the museum's events page for this year's date and details, and see our roundup of Christmas train rides in New Hampshire for more holiday outings.

The Contoocook Riverway Association

The museum is owned and run by the Contoocook Riverway Association, a volunteer nonprofit founded in 1999 that operates entirely on donations. Members meet at the depot at 6 pm on the second Tuesday of each month, and new volunteers are welcome. Donations, memberships and the annual online auction pay for restoration projects like the depot insulation, the brick walkway and the semaphore.

More depots and rail sites to visit

The Ashland Railroad Station Museum, another 19th-century depot, is about 33 miles north. The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail is about 34 miles away, and the Bellows Falls Railroad Station historic site in Vermont is about 37 miles west. For the full list, see every train museum in New Hampshire.

Every train museum in New Hampshire

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The old passenger coach behind the Contoocook depot looks so ready to go, and I can just picture its tall steps. In our book, those big train stairs are too much for Rally's short corgi legs, so Dad gives him a boost up. My little ones know that feeling well. If they would like to color that moment, you will find it on our coloring pages.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Contoocook Railroad Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Contoocook Railroad Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

What is the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

The Contoocook Railroad Museum is a free museum and visitor center in the historic 1849 Contoocook depot. The site also includes a wooden passenger coach, a late 1800s section house, the Lewellen Bandstand and the 1889 Contoocook Railroad Bridge. The nonprofit Contoocook Riverway Association owns and runs it.

Where is the Contoocook Railroad Museum and Visitor Center?

It is at 896 Main Street in Contoocook Village, part of the town of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, at the corner of Main Street (NH Route 103) and Maple Street (NH Route 127). It sits on the Currier & Ives Scenic Byway. The mailing address is PO Box 789, Contoocook, NH 03229.

What are the Contoocook Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum and visitor center is typically staffed Friday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. The visitor center page lists summer hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day as Friday noon to 5 pm, Saturday 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday noon to 3 pm. Hours depend on volunteers, so call (603) 746-4100.

How much does the Contoocook Railroad Museum cost?

The museum does not list an admission fee. It is run by a nonprofit that operates entirely on donations, so a gift of any size is appreciated and goes toward restoration projects. You can donate in person or through the museum's website.

Can I visit the Contoocook depot outside regular hours?

Yes, if you plan ahead. Call (603) 746-4100 or email visit@contoocookdepot.org, and the association will make every effort to have a board member at the depot when you arrive. Guided tours are also available by appointment.

Are there guided tours at the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

Yes. Self-guided tours are available on every staffed day, and guided tours are offered on Saturdays or by appointment. A guided tour is the best way to hear the stories behind the ticket windows, the returned station sign and the bridge.

What is the Contoocook covered railroad bridge?

The Contoocook Railroad Bridge, built in 1889 with a double Town lattice truss, is described as the oldest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world. It replaced an earlier covered span, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the State of New Hampshire. It sits at 1 Park Avenue, beside the depot.

When was the Contoocook Railroad Depot built?

The depot was completed in 1849 as one of the first substantial passenger stations west of Concord on the Concord & Claremont Railroad. It is one of the earliest and least altered depots of that era in New Hampshire, built in the Greek Revival style.

What is the passenger coach behind the Contoocook depot?

It is a wooden passenger coach, described by the museum as a 1907 vintage coach, donated to the Contoocook Riverway Association in 2007 and placed on rails behind the depot as if ready to cross the bridge again. The association even offers the coach as a small event space.

How did the Contoocook Riverway Association get the depot?

The association, founded in 1999, bought the depot from the Town of Hopkinton for one silver dollar that year. Beginning in 2002, it led a roughly $400,000 restoration of the depot and covered bridge to their 1910 look, paid for by federal grants and community donations.

What original features survive inside the Contoocook depot?

Two original ticket windows remain, along with most of the original walls and ceilings covered in late 1800s tongue-and-groove paneling. Community members have returned items such as the blue enameled Contoocook station sign, a luggage cart and a seating bench.

Is the Contoocook Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

The depot has an indoor elevator providing access to the second floor, where museum displays and archives are kept. For questions about the grounds, the coach or the bridge area, call (603) 746-4100 before your visit.

Is the Contoocook Railroad Museum good for kids?

Yes, for a short, free visit. Kids can see a real passenger coach on the tracks, the semaphore signal, the ticket windows and the covered railroad bridge. There are no train rides, so pair it with a walk on the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail, which starts at the depot.

Does the Contoocook Railroad Museum have a Christmas event?

Yes. Christmas at the Depot is listed among the Contoocook Riverway Association's yearly events. Dates and details change each year, so check the events page on contoocookdepot.com or the museum's Facebook page in late fall, or call (603) 746-4100 to ask what is planned for the season.

What was the Contoocook depot used for?

From 1849 to 1960 it was the village's commercial hub: the place to catch a train, collect railway mail, send a telegram and, from 1884, make a telephone call. For some years it was also the Contoocook Post Office and the local office for the Railway and American Express companies.

Can I rent space at the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

Yes. The depot offers warm, year-round meeting space for single events or weekly meetings, and some groups can even host an event aboard the coach. Contact the association at (603) 746-4100 or through its website for details.

How can I volunteer at the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

The Contoocook Riverway Association welcomes anyone interested in its restoration work. Members meet at the depot at 6 pm on the second Tuesday of every month. The museum's hours depend on volunteers, so new helpers make a real difference.

How can I support the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

Become a member, donate online or in person, or bid in the association's online auction. Because the nonprofit runs 100 percent on donations, gifts pay directly for projects such as the semaphore mast replacement, depot insulation and the brick walkway.

What else is there to do near the Contoocook Railroad Museum?

The visitor center in the depot covers Contoocook and Hopkinton, including Rowell's Covered Bridge in West Hopkinton, the Hopkinton Historical Society, Elm Brook State Park and the Hopkinton State Fair on Labor Day weekend. The Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail starts at the depot.

What other train museums are near Contoocook, New Hampshire?

The Ashland Railroad Station Museum is about 33 miles north, the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail is about 34 miles away, and the Bellows Falls Railroad Station historic site in Vermont is about 37 miles west. The Wolfeboro Railroad historic collection is about 36 miles away.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil
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