LRMRM Board Member Richard Chiasson and volunteer Jeff Brown installed a new vent and fan in the Freight House. It gets very hot in the attic, and the lobby entrance to the museum because it is open so you can see the original interior of the building and how it was built. The new fan should reduce the heat by providing some air flow. This will keep the attic, storage area, and lighting control electronics at a more reasonable temperature.
In 1872, the Wolfeboro Branch brought the railroad age to the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, linking Wolfeboro to the wider Boston & Maine system and opening a new era of travel, trade, summer visitors, and local industry. Nearly a century later, the old branch found new life when the Wolfeborough Railroad began carrying passengers again as a tourist railroad.
Its most memorable symbol was steam locomotive No. 250, a Baldwin 2-6-2 Prairie built in 1926. After earlier industrial service in the South, No. 250 came to New Hampshire and made its first trip to Wolfeboro on August 1, 1972, just before the branch’s own 100th anniversary. For many visitors in the 1970s, the sight of No. 250 steaming along the causeways and lakeshore made the past feel alive again.
In 2026, America marks the 250th anniversary of independence, 1776–2026. A July 4th scene with No. 250 decorated in red, white, and blue connects several anniversaries at once: the nation’s founding, the coming of the railroad to Wolfeboro, and the revival of steam on the Wolfeboro Branch. The engine becomes more than a locomotive. It is a moving reminder of how transportation, tourism, community pride, and history all came together on this small New Hampshire railroad.
The Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum will have a booth Wednesday 5/27 from 10AM to 1PM at the Senior Health and Fitness Fair at the Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center in Wolfeboro. Stop in and take a look.
The museum needs many more skilled volunteers. Come to the museum on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9AM to Noon to see what we are doing, get a tour, and find a way that you can be involved in our museum project.
We hope to start regular work sessions on some afternoons and evenings, if there is interest.
On Tuesday LRMRM had a table at the Back Bay Skippers Model Yachting Fair at Camp Brookwoods. We displayed 3D printed models, and two waterline ship models by Dave Warren: the Mount Washington and the Lady of the Lake. We have many historic building models that Dave made, and his recently completed waterline model of the Chocorua.
Volunteers are needed to paint 3D printed buildings for the museum.
The museum will have lots of historically accurate 3D printed buildings in HO (1:87) scale that need to be painted in historically accurate detail. Put your artistic talents to work and the results will be on display in our museum.
Experience is not required but you must have some artistic ability to do acrylic painting. Some assembly is required as the doors and windows are separate parts to make them easier to paint. Supplies are paid for by the museum. All we need is your expertise to help with this great community project presenting local history for many generations to come.
Our primary artist is Miriam Tourville who will show you what needs to be done. She does painting and assembly while her husband Gerry Tourville adds lighting to the buildings.
Contact us at info@lrmrm.org or come to the museum on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 9AM to Noon when we have regularly scheduled work sessions.
Many other volunteer positions are available involving model railroading, local history, and running a museum.
Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum, 61 Railroad Avenue, P.O. Box 713, Wolfeboro NH 03894
Here is our tree at the Wright Museum. Open for viewing on December 6, 7, 10, 13, and 14th. Details: https://www.wolfeborofestivaloftrees.com/
The Great Pumpkin Hunt is sponsored by the Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce. Get the list from the Chamber of Commerce from Friday 9/26 to Monday 9/29. Fill in the entry number from each participating business’ pumpkin display. Get a chance to win a prize if you find 10 or all entries on the list. Turn in entries at the Chamber of Commerce by 11AM on Monday September 29, 2025. Here is our entry and our scarecrows, patiently waiting for the museum to open.
The second of four 2025 Antique and Vintage Fairs will be at the Clark Museum Complex of the Wolfeboro Historical Society on Saturday August 2, 2025 from 11 AM to 3PM. We will have a selection of model railroad items, Christmas village items, and model cars for sale.
Come and see us at the Senior Health and Fitness Fair on May 28, 2025 from 10AM to 1PM at the Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center. More Info…
Village Players, 51 Glendon Street, Wolfeboro
5:30 PM Reception, 6:15 Award Presentations
Who will be this year’s winners of Wolfeboro Heritage Awards?
The restoration of the Freight House by LRMRM was funded in part by the New Hampshire Land and Community Investment Program (LCHIP). The Freight House is on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places. The Museum is scheduled to open in 2025 with the help of a grant from the Northern Borders Regional Commission (NBRC). Fundraising is in progress to raise the $285K required to access the $250K grant before work can proceed.
Wednesday May 29 is National Senior Health and Fitness Day. This year the Wolfeboro event is at the Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center from 10 AM to 4 PM. Stop by the LRMRM booth to learn about the progress of the museum, scheduled to open in 2025. Explore lots of volunteer opportunities for all ages.
