100 Years Ago...

The station is still smouldering in this November 1911 view of the WRJ Union Station.

White River Junction Fire

Union Station burns in November 1911

It was one hundred years ago last month that the second White River Junction station burned down. The following photos show the station before during and after the fire.The fire that destroyed this station began in the ceiling above the ticket office on November 26, 1911. All 14 employees in the station at the time escaped without injury.

A temporary station was then built that was nicknamed the Junk-Shun and for many reasons became an interim facility for the next 23 years. It may have lasted longer but also burned down in 1935. It took two years to build the station that stands at WRJ today. During that construction period the passenger station was housed in the old baggage building...George Dutka

A postcard viewing the Union station in better days.

It appears as it may have been raining, but too lake to save the station.

Not much is left of the station once the fire was out.

An interesting view of the old station including the B&M ball signal already used during that era. A portion of that old ball signal was dug up a few years back while some excavating was taking place.

This postcard view has been published numerous times in books and periodicals. It does give you a great view of the station and surrounding trackage.