GREENSBORO – The Greensboro Historical Society (GHS) has opened a new summer exhibit, “Rails to Trails,” exploring the arrival and departure of the St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County railroad in Greensboro Bend, as well as the rail line’s transition to the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Greensboro Bend, colloquially called “The Bend,” received its descriptive name from the seven-mile loop of track that added a train station between Walden and Hardwick. The arrival of freight trains in the 19th century expedited an exchange of supplies between local and distant markets. The presence of passenger trains brought an influx of vacationers who could easily access the beauty surrounding Caspian Lake and the neighboring mountains and valleys. Thus, the presence of this station brought visitors, investors, and tradesmen to the area and created a bustling commercial presence in The Bend.
The exhibit features informative panels depicting the socio-economic boom the railroad created for The Bend and the greater Greensboro area. It tracks the rise and fall of coal- and water-powered steam engines and the transition to diesel-powered engines. It explores the effects of freight and passenger train travel on the area, the logistics of the trains and the station in The Bend, and the interplay with The Bend and the rail system as a whole. Finally, it shows the local changes that took place to transform the rail line to the recreational rail trail that now extends from St. Johnsbury to Swanton.
Displays include maps, timelines, photos, press clippings, personal anecdotes, and curiosities from poems to artwork, plus a Kids’ Corner (including a train-themed light-up board, a train table with toy trains, and an outdoor story walk) and an array of railroad industry paraphernalia.
The opening reception for the exhibit is Sunday, June 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the GHS Museum 29 Breezy Avenue in Greensboro, next to Willey’s Store. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome. Regular museum hours thereafter throughout the summer are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
