Noyes & Goddard, Swift River Railroad – Seen here in 2010 is an old stove at the site of the Holland Camp along the abandoned Swift River logging Railroad in the New Hampshire White Mountains. This is a Noyes & Goddard stove (1886-1902 +/-) produced in Waterville, Maine. The stove model is "Maine".
Incorporated on March 25, 1903, and operated by the Conway Company, the roughly twenty-five mile long Swift River Railroad was in operation from 1906-1916. The railroad began at the Conway Company’s sawmill in Conway and traveled up the Swift River Valley following much of the route of today’s Kancamagus Scenic Byway, ending just below Mount Kancamagus.
This stove is possibly in the same location it stood when inside the logging camp; the camp was either razed or left to rot in the forest, and the stove and other items were all left inside the camp. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, when a logging company was done harvesting an area, it was common for them to walk away from the logging camps in the harvested area, leaving all the household objects behind.
This Noyes & Goddard stove is an artifact of the New Hampshire White Mountains Railroad era. The removal of historical artifacts from federal lands (White Mountain National Forest) without a permit is a violation of federal law. All artifacts should be left in the undisturbed manner that they are found. And because the destruction of historical sites is also a crime, metal detecting anywhere in the White Mountain National Forest where there might be artifacts could lead to potential legal issues. Digging is not allowed at historical sites in the White Mountain National Forest.
Interesting links:
Preserve History, Don't Remove Artifacts
The Swift River Railroad
Historical Artifacts, Stoves
Happy image making..
© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | Historic Information Disclaimer | White Mountains History
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.