Ashland Railroad Station // 1869

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The railroad arrived to Ashland, New Hampshire (then a part of Holderness) in 1849, which connected the industrial village to Concord for both freight and passenger service. The first Ashland Station opened as a combined passenger and freight station of the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad, which was chartered by the State of New Hampshire in 1844.  Construction of its initial 93-mile track through largely agricultural, rural, and mountainous territory began in 1846 and concluded in 1853, when the railroad reached its terminus in Wells River, Vermont. Over time, the railroad expanded and acquired branch railroads, connecting it to routes all over the northeast. As manufacturing flourished in Ashland, the town grew, which necessitated the demand for a larger passenger station for the railroad. Additionally, in 1869, the original freight and passenger station (built c.1850), was remodeled to handle increased freight. This passenger station was built in 1869 and resembles many other rural New England railroad stations of its period with its rectangular form and low hipped roof with extended eaves supported by brackets to shelter those waiting for the next train to arrive. In 1895, the Concord & Montreal came under the control of the Boston & Maine Railroad and it continued to serve many travelers as the gateway to the town and the popular Squam Lakes Region in summers. Regular passenger service at the Station ended in 1959, and the Boston & Maine Railroad sold the Station to Joseph Curley.  In 1980, his widow Vera Curley generously donated the station and site to the Ashland Historical Society, who oversaw a restoration of the building. Today, the building serves as a local history museum and serves as a stop along the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad on its popular Fall Foliage Tours.

Whipple House // 1837

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The Whipple House in Ashland, New Hampshire, is a remarkable example of a Federal style cape and significant as the childhood home of a Nobel Prize winner. Built in 1837 by merchant Obadiah Smith (1787-1853), the brick home served as a residence for five generations of the same family and was the birthplace of Nobel Prize-winning physician Dr. George Hoyt Whipple (1878-1976), who shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934 with George Richards Minot and William Parry Murphy for “their discoveries concerning liver therapy in cases of anemia”. Towards the end of his life, in 1970, Dr. Whipple donated the family home to the town as to preserve its legacy as a museum. Architecturally, the home reflects the simplicity and craftsmanship of New England’s mid-19th century vernacular design, featuring a symmetrical five-bay façade with center entrance containing a fanlight transom and oversized dormers on the roof which date to the 20th century. It remains as the headquarters of the Ashland Historical Society.

Ashland Grist Mill // 1903

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The Ashland Grist Mill stands as one of Ashland, New Hampshire’s most recognizable historic landmarks, reflecting the town’s long tradition of water-powered industry along the Squam River. The present mill was built in 1903 after an earlier gristmill on the site was destroyed by fire, continuing a milling legacy that dates back to the late 18th century when some of the area’s first sawmills and gristmills utilized the river’s strong current. Architecturally, the three-story vernacular industrial building is notable for its massive timber-frame central section flanked by balloon-framed wings, a practical design that absorbed the vibration of the heavy milling machinery while providing ample space for grain storage and flour production. Its attached dam, now a concrete structure replacing the original wooden dam, remains an important feature of the historic landscape, both of which were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the late 20th century, the mill was thoughtfully restored and adapted for professional offices, preserving its distinctive exterior and ensuring that this enduring symbol of Ashland’s industrial heritage continues to serve the community while honoring its past.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Parish House, Ashland // 1899

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Adjacent to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Ashland, New Hampshire, the congregation’s Parish House stands as a complimentary extension to the Victorian Gothic church next door. Built in 1899 as a residence and vestry for the church pastor, the Parish House perfectly blends both the Victorian Gothic and Shingle styles of architecture into a single composition with lancet windows and steep gable roof and continuous shingle siding and rubblestone foundation. While the architect is not known, the Parish House stands as one of the finest examples of a building of its type in New England and is clearly the work of a skilled architect.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Ashland // 1859

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Located next door to the historic Town Hall, the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Ashland, New Hampshire, stands as one of the state’s finest Victorian-era churches. The Episcopal congregation in Ashland was established in 1855, and originally met in the town’s union church before funding was secured for land and designs for a new church. The unique building was designed by New York architect, J. Coleman Hart, who specialized in parish churches in the Victorian Gothic and Stick styles. With a single nave, the church is notable for its brick construction with walls adorned by half-timbering. The tower rises three stories with circular openings and an open belfry in the third, all topped by a spire. Now known as the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, the congregation is a part of the New Hampshire Episcopal diocese.

Ashland Town Hall // 1871

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The Ashland Town Hall in Ashland, New Hampshire, was built in 1871, three years after the town separated from Holderness, due to its growing economy as an industrial village compared to its mother-town’s more agricultural character. Constructed of brick, the facade is dominated by its gable roof which reads as a pediment and bays divided by brick pilasters which harkens back to the Greek Revival style; while the use of arched brick mouldings which is a common element in the Italianate style. The handsome, well-proportioned structure was used for town meetings and elections until 1950, and in 1952, the building was used by the school district as the village school. The building returned to municipal functions in 1972 and has since housed the Ashland Town Offices. The Old Ashland Town Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Union Hall, North Billerica // 1892-1966

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The Union Hall in North Billerica, Massachusetts, was originally built around 1871 as a social meeting place and informal “town hall” for area residents. The building served many uses from a district schoolhouse to hosting elections and governmental events for the industrial village until a fire destroyed the building in 1891. The iconic centerpiece for the community was quickly rebuilt a year later from plans by Frederick W. Stickney, and also included space for the local fire department. The use as a school ceased but the first floor remained occupied as the village fire station until 1965, when a contemporary station was built nearby. Soon after, the 1892 structure was demolished and the site is used as surface parking for the North Billerica train station.

St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, North Billerica // 1919

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Before Saint Andrew’s Parish in North Billerica, Massachusetts, was established, the industrial village was home to many Irish immigrants who arrived to the area to work at the Talbot and Faulkner mill complexes. The Irish brought with them, their culture and customs, including religious affiliation with the Catholic Church. The Irish families in North Billerica were about 5 miles from the closest Catholic church in Lowell to worship, so in 1868, a mission church was established in the village for area residents. By 1913, the parish consisted of the entire town of Billerica, had grown enough to be taken over by the Archdiocese of Boston. Soon after, a Rectory was built in the Colonial Revival style and just a few years after that, in 1919, plans were unveiled for a new Catholic church in Billerica. Plans by the firm of O’Connell & Shaw were drawn up and resulted in St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, a rare example of a Spanish/Mission Revival style church. The design is notable for its use of stucco walls, bell-shaped gabled parapet, inlaid tile panels, and squat, copper roofed belfry at the roof.

Farmer-Colson House // 1803

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A fine example of a Federal style brick-ender, the Farmer-Colson House in North Billerica is a stately and well-proportioned residence of its type in Massachusetts that has been lovingly preserved inside and out for over 200 years. The house was built in 1803 by Oliver Farmer (1760-1839) on land he acquired from his wife, Hannah’s father. The house was later inherited by Oliver and Hannah’s daughter, Rachel, and her husband Israel Colson. Israel Colson arrived in the mill village in about 1830 from Rhode Island and was a farmer by trade but became engaged in the development of the locks for the Middlesex Canal on the Concord River in the village. Architecturally, the house retains its symmetrical facade with center entrance adorned by a fanlight transom and sidelights, massive end chimneys, and an attached barn/stable.

North Billerica Baptist Church // 1870

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As the Talbot and Faulkner mills of North Billerica thrived, bringing thousands of workers, their families and customs; new schools, social clubs, and schools were needed to provide quality of life improvements to those who worked tirelessly all days of the week in the cramped factories. As far back as 1828, Baptists began to informally meet to worship together in North Billerica. Years later, they built a small meeting house that grew alongside the surrounding community. By 1868, 27 members pooled resources and alongside funding from Thomas Talbot, politician and part-owner of the Talbot Mill in Billerica, it was decided that a proper church be built in the industrial village for area Baptists. Architect, Alexander Rice Esty, was hired to furnish plans for the building, which is of the Victorian Gothic style, built of wood and notable for its many lancet windows. The church has been modified a few times since its first service in 1870 and remains a vital cultural landmark in the industrial village. 

Talbot Mills // 1857

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The Talbot Mills in North Billerica were built in 1857 by Charles and Thomas Talbot, who produced flannels, woolen goods, and later military and later, military drab. The brothers had connections in Lowell and eventually built a new manufacturing company in Billerica on the banks of the Concord River. Charles Talbot oversaw much of the day-to-day business, while Thomas Talbot began to pursue politics, serving first as state senator, lieutenant governor, and eventually Governor of Massachusetts in 1878. When built, the Talbot Mills were originally powered solely by water, but as the company’s manufacturing facilities doubled in 1880, a boiler-engine house was built. During the 1920s, at its peak, the mill employed 450 workers, many of whom lived in worker’s housing developed and rented by the corporation. During the 1960s, the company suspended operations and the building had been rented out to tenants ever since, now occupied by Pace Industries. The main (and earliest) building of the Talbot Mill complex was built in 1857 and rises five stories with a prominent entry tower with a balustrade, octagonal open arcaded belfry call capped by a weathervane. The wooden tower is a rare survivor and hopefully will remain another 150 years.

Faulkner House // c.1825

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Adjacent to the Faulkner Mill, this early 19th century house in North Billerica was built by a member of the Faulkner family, who helped make the village an industrial center in this part of Massachusetts. This house is said to have been built around 1825 and was the residence of James Faulkner (1801-1877), who co-ran the adjacent Faulkner Mill with family, manufacturing cloth goods. A late Federal style house, the Faulkner residence features a five-bay facade with center entrance and corner quoins. After the death of James Faulkner, the property was inherited by his heirs, and in 1927, was given to the children of Billerica by Anne Faulkner, for use as a kindergarten, which remains to this day.

Faulkner Mill // 1880

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The manufacture of woolen goods was introduced in North Billerica by Francis Faulkner in 1811 on the bend of the Concord River. Francis Faulkner was the son of Colonel Francis Faulkner of Acton, one of the leading citizens of that town, who participated in the battles of Lexington and Concord and served throughout the Revolutionary War. When Francis Faulkner arrived in North Billerica, he began to manufacture woolen goods and expanded to coloring and dressing cloths. Mr. Faulkner would be joined by his sons, James and Luther, and was called the James R. Faulkner & Company. James Robbins Faulkner took over his father’s business, which expanded greatly after the Civil War. In 1880, the firm incorporated as the Faulkner Manufacturing Company, and they had the largest wing, this main block, added to the mill complex. The main building is an interpretation of the Romanesque Revival style and stands three stories tall and is notable for the four-story stair and water cistern tower with arched base. Sometime after 1914, the property was organized as the North Billerica Company and by 1935, a total of 135 employees were engaged in manufacturing wool blankets and cloth. Despite additions to the factory in the 1940s and again in the early 1960s, foreign competition forced the mill to close about 1987, leaving the buildings vacant with its future uncertain. Luckily, the Faulkner Mill is now home to a variety of small businesses and the Middlesex Canal Museum.

Dr. Bowers House // 1804

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An excellent example of a Federal style country mansion, the Dr. Bowers House sits on the edge of the Town Common in Billerica, Massachusetts, retains its original form and architectural features which set it above many other residences of its period in town. The mansion was built in 1804 for Doctor William Bowers (1744-1820) and is square in plan with five bays on each side and brick end walls. The roof features a large monitor and massive chimneys extending from the rooms below. Formal entrances are located on both street-facing elevations, with the side door likely originally serving as an entrance to the doctor’s home office.

Old Howe School // 1852

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The Howe School, originally Howe Academy, in Billerica, Massachusetts, is a stellar example of a Greek Revival style school building that shows the emergence of the Italianate style in the 1850s. The school was founded following a generous bequest in the will of Dr. Zadok Howe, as a young men’s college-preparatory academy. When it was built in 1852, most Massachusetts towns divided themselves into smaller school districts, with each district erecting its own school building for pupils to get to the schools easier, improving attendance. The building committee hired Lowell architect, Daniel G. Bean, and it featured an innovative ventilation system for heating and bringing fresh air into the classrooms. The Howe School continued privately until 1897, when it became a public school. By the early 20th century, the small school building was deemed too small and ancient to remain the town’s high school, and a new building was constructed nearby. For years it operated as a grade school, and later as the school department offices. Following an extensive renovation that saw a rear addition, the Howe School building reopened as Billerica Access Television (the town’s public-access television station) as well as space for community events and meetings.