Dateline: Oct. 30, 2024

Rail Trail Sign with cameo of steam engine

The warm sun was shining low over the Merrimack River as numerous Allenstown officials gathered at the end of the day on October 21st for the dedication of Allenstown's Rail Trail. There were even two Hooksett residents who walked the trail from their town to join the event.

This was the culmination of a lengthy project that began around December 2022. The Allenstown Highway Dept. spent countless days cutting down and hauling away the jungle of shrubs, bittersweet vines, and trees that had taken over the railroad bed. Low bridges for drainage were rebuilt. Tons of crushed stone and stone dust were hauled in and spread out. The town would have faced a large cash expenditure were it not for the generous donation of paving materials by Allenstown Aggregate, the donation of reclaimed timbers from a local contractor, and the donations of wood chips from local tree services.

Scott McDonald officiated at the dedication

Select Board Chairman Scott McDonald offered remarks about the project and its benefit to residents. Attendees included Fire Chief Eric Lambert and Laura Lambert, who arrived in Fire Department's side-by-side vehicle, two firefighters, Select Board members Kathleen Pelissier and Maureen Higham, Road Agent Chad Pelissier, Town Administrator John Harrington, Building Inspector Brian Arsenault, EDC Chairman Michael Frascinella, and even two visitors from the Hooksett Conservation Commission.

Chairman McDonald thanked everyone for attending. He praised the Allenstown Highway Department for their labors, Allenstown Aggregate for donating tons of crushed stone and stone dust for the trail bed, the anonymous contractor who donated the timbers for rebuilding the bridges, and Armand and Claudette Verville of the Historical Society who designed and built the signage that stands at the head of the trail.

Attendees at the dedication

Mr. McDonald remarked to the Concord Monitor reporter, "It provides a spot where our residents can go and walk and exercise and be outdoors, whether by themselves or with their children, without having to get in their car and drive up to Bear Brook State Park. For those of us who've lived here a long time and have watched our taxes go up and haven't seen a big return or anything change, this is a big deal. The Allenstown Rail Trail is just a small part of it."

"It was basically the woods," Road Agent Pelissier told the Monitor reporter. "We cut the brush. We cleaned up the surface that was there. We leveled the existing surface and brought in crushed stone and geotextile fabric. We put the stone dust down as a final surface."

Mr. Frascinella emphasized that "To me, this is an excellent example of the collaboration between local business and local government."

After the ceremony concluded, Fire Chief Lambert took people for rides down the trail in the side-by-side vehicle.

Chief Lambert offered rides on the trail

A Quick Tour

A short walk down the trail led to the first rebuilt bridge which was flanked by safety railings.

The first rebuilt bridge and new safety railings

Just beyond the bridge on the left side, one could make out the stone foundation of the old railroad water tower with a stone well at the center. Mr. Pelissier said the rain water from uphill filled the well and that water was pumped into the water tower for use by the steam engines that traversed the tracks.

He mentioned that a future project will be to clear away the overgrowth and post a descriptive sign since this was a historic relic of the old railroad.

Water Tower Foundation and Well (see arrows)

What You Can Do

The view from the start of the trail

Put on some hiking boots or bring your bike. Get a few friends together. Try out the new Allenstown Rail Trail. A gravel parking area and split rail fence provide safe off road parking for visitors. You should also stop by the Highway Dept. and thank them for all their hard work bringing to fruition this new recreation area for residents and visitors.

Go next door and thank Allenstown Aggregate for donating the tons of stone materials that form the bed of the new rail trail.