Potter Place in Andover preserves the kind of railway stop where an entire village’s connections could be seen in a short walk. The Northern Railroad’s wooden station dates to 1874 and replaced an earlier passenger building. Its ornamentation distinguishes it from a bare utility shed: look for cut woodwork and shaped braces around the broad roof. New Hampshire’s historic resource survey identifies the building as a notable survivor of the line, and the station was listed on the National Register in 1989.
The village’s name points to a story older than the depot. Richard Potter was a celebrated Black magician and ventriloquist, and the Andover Historical Society preserves the grounds and family graveyard associated with him and his wife, Sally. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire commemorates his life with a marker. He died decades before this station was built. The link is the place, rather than a claim that he traveled from the depot. That distinction makes the two stories more interesting: the railroad inherited a landscape that already had its own people and history.
The station is one part of the historical society’s collection at Potter Place. The freight shed, railroad cars and stationmaster’s office represent the business of the line, while the Emons store and post office, dating from 1912, show where village commerce and communication continued off the platform. The relationship between those buildings is a good guide to the visit. A parcel or letter did not finish its journey just because it reached the railway station.
Spend a moment looking at the exterior before going inside. The building’s roof sheltered practical work, but its trim also gave a recognizable identity to a public place. Follow that architectural detail with a look at the office and the neighboring freight and postal facilities. The society relies on volunteers, and the several buildings need not all be open at the same time. Ask which parts can be visited on the date you choose.
Visitor information
Researched November 2026.
Sources
More railroad museums in New Hampshire
- Ashland Railroad Station Museum — Ashland: Depot and railroad history museum
- Gorham Historical Society & Railroad Museum — Gorham: Depot and railroad history museum
- Sandown Depot Museum — Sandown: Depot and local history museum
- White Mountain Central Railroad at Clark’s — North Woodstock: Operating steam-railway collection within a visitor attraction
- All 5 railroad museums and sites in New Hampshire
Keep exploring
- All heritage sites — museums, stations and landmarks
- Northeast — the trains you can ride in the region