West River Trail

The West River Trail

The West River Trail may well be Vermont’s oldest transportation path. Native Americans called the West River “Wantastiquet” or “waters of the lonely way,” and the Wantastiquet path was an important connection from the West River valley and Fort Dummer in Brattleboro over the Green Mountains to Otter Creek and Lake Champlain.

In 1879, this path was developed into the West River Railroad, originating in Brattleboro and terminating at the South Londonderry Depot. However, not long after the railroad opened, people began to call it “36 miles of trouble.” Its’ narrow gauge and winding route led to undependable, if not dangerous, service. A 1903 editorial called the trains “trydaily-they go down in the morning and try to get back at night.”

Today, 16 miles along the upper section of this valley route provide a safe and scenic alternative to Route 30 for hikers, walkers, skiers and bikers, linking the villages of South Londonderry, Jamaica and Townshend with 4,500 acres of public land. Recently, the lower 5.7 mile section, from the mouth of the West River to the quarry on Rice Farm Road in Dummerston, was acquired and is officially open for public use.

Here is a short film that gives a feel for the trail…thanks to IMRfilms.

The Depot

Constructed in 1870’s, the Depot originally served as the terminus for the West River Railroad. FWRT purchased the structure in 2000 with a Vermont Agency of Transportation enhancement grant. The Depot exterior has been restored to its appearance in the 1930s and the interior has been rehabilitated as space for exhibitions and public gatherings. The Depot serves as a trailhead facility for the West River Trail and a historical museum for the West River Railroad. The building’s redesign also incorporates rentable office space to offset ongoing maintenance and expenses. This project was completed in 2008.

Photos on this page show, in order of appearance: The West Dummerston R.R. Bridge, around 1907, The South Londonderry Depot, constructed in the 1870′s, and, below, a Dummerston Quarry worker, and a Train Wreck along the West River.

A link to Vermont Quarries can be found here with information about the Black Mountain Granite Quarry (pictured).