Andover: Northern Rail Trail and Historic Buildings

Andover’s character is shaped by the Northern Rail Trail and several historic buildings. When planning, it helps to distinguish these different aspects of the town: the trail is a long route with changing seasonal uses, while the bridges and schoolhouse represent specific aspects of local building and town history.

The Northern Rail Trail through Andover

The 57-mile Northern Rail Trail runs from Boscawen to Lebanon in New Hampshire and passes through Andover. Its flat, firm gravel surface and length give a clear sense of the kind of route it is. Within the town, it passes through West Andover (Gale Station), Potter Place, Andover Village, and East Andover (Halcyon Station). These place names show that the trail passes through several parts of Andover rather than being limited to a single neighborhood.

Trail use also changes with the seasons. In spring, summer, and fall, it is used for walking and jogging, bicycling and horseback riding, as well as by people using wheelchairs. When snow-covered in winter, activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling. If you’re planning your stay around a particular activity, the difference in conditions matters: winter activities are explicitly tied to snow cover, while the other listed uses are associated with the three other seasons.

Historic bridges and buildings

Bog Bridge is a well-preserved covered road bridge with a Town lattice truss and is now used as a footbridge. Its distinctive features are both its construction and its current use. This sets it apart from Keniston Bridge: built in 1882, it crosses the Blackwater River in the center of Andover and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those interested in historic bridges will find two different points of interest here—Bog Bridge’s truss and use as a footbridge, and Keniston Bridge’s construction date and location on the river.

Another part of the town’s historic resources is Tucker Mountain Schoolhouse. Built in 1837, it is owned and maintained by the Andover Historical Society and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The schoolhouse’s construction date and preservation by the local historical society are therefore central to its story. Together with the two bridges, it offers several specific topics for those interested in Andover’s history, although not all the buildings tell the same story.

Proctor’s athletic profile

Proctor Ski Area adds alpine and Nordic facilities to the town’s profile, and can host international-level competition events. These include one of the few remaining high school ski jumping facilities in New Hampshire. This is a different athletic profile from the Northern Rail Trail’s seasonal uses: here, the distinctive features are the school’s sports facilities, while the trail offers a variety of activities along a long route.

Andover can therefore be considered as a destination based on specific interests: the Rail Trail offers different activities in different seasons, while the historic buildings, with their distinct features, provide a separate focus. Proctor Ski Area adds school sports facilities for alpine and Nordic skiing. When planning, you can decide whether your main interest is the trail, local history, or the town’s distinctive athletic profile.

Discover more destinations: Boscawen, Pembroke, Hooksett, Warner, Loudon, Bradford, Henniker, Sutton.

For the county-wide travel guide: Merrimack County.