The official website of

the wakefield heritage commission

Directional Sign "Guide Board" Re-Installation

​​Established in 1993, the Wakefield Heritage Commission has developed plans to restore areas of the community that reflect the importance of Wakefield in transportation, manufacturing, and farming.

With the generous support of volunteers, financial donors, and grants, the first building constructed in the village of Sanbornville, the Garvin Building, was restored. Upon completion, the Wakefield Heritage Commission sold the Garvin Building. It remains a focal point and tribute to the history of the community.

In recent years, the Commission, thanks to a small army of talented and generous volunteers, has restored Union Station and the Freight House in Union, the Lovell-Union Grange, Spinney Meeting House, and the East Wakefield School.

In 2014, the Newichawannock Bridge and Canal, built in 1868, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This area now qualifies to be designated as a national historic district.

           Recent Events

Spinney Meeting House

1847 Lovell Lake Road, South Wakefield, NH

*available for rent

Thanksgiving Weekend Special Event Returns

Conclude your Thanksgiving weekend by visiting the Tour de Chooch Open House on Sunday,
December 1, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the Heritage Park Railroad Museum in Union, NH. Admission
is free.
This special event to be enjoyed by children of all ages features viewing the fascinating details of an
operating HO scale model railroad depicting the five villages of Wakefield in the 1909 era with its
computer-controlled operating system and viewing a Lionel O-gauge train layout all located in the 1875
restored Boston & Maine freight house.
Not to be missed in the 1909 era display is a model of the 1895 Wakefield Town Hall. Replicated and
built by Jay Ehlen of Durham, NH, the tower of the town hall model features an operating bell and
operating clocks. The clocks were built by the skilled North Conway jeweler, Tim Psaledakis.

Rich Breton, spokesman for the volunteer model railroad hobbyists representing eight New Hampshire
communities, said the group has been working on the miniaturized railroad for eleven years. It is
historically accurate including structures, steam locomotives, passenger and freight cars, and
landscaping which includes photo backdrops of the area including Moose Mountain.
For the modeler, rail fan, novice or curious, the holiday open house is being held concurrently with the
annual Tour de Chooch established in 1994. This year’s self-guided tour features 35 model railroads in
southeastern New Hampshire and eastern Massachusetts. Information about Tour de Chooch can be
viewed at www.tourdechooch.org.
The Heritage Park Railroad Museum is administered by the Wakefield Heritage Commission.

*The Railroad Station will be closed due to lack of heat*

The Wakefield Heritage Commission recently re- installed the directional sign or “Guide Board” at the intersection of Rt 153 and Wakefield Rd at Wakefield Corner. As part of a National Grange contest, the previous sign had been installed by the Lovell Union Grange in 1949. The Grange built, painted and installed signs at intersections of roads in Wakefield and Brookfield as well as at historic sites in both Towns. They won the first-place award for New Hampshire for this project. Many of these signs can still be found. The original sign and granite post was installed at this location in 1810. In 1843, Guideposts and Guide Boards, as they were called at that time, were mandatory by law at all intersections of highways in a Town. Furthermore, if anyone “threw down”, destroyed or defaced a sign, they could be fined up to $10. This was a lot of money at that time as a daily wage was only 50 cents. The new sign was constructed by JC Signs of Wolfeboro and installed on the original granite post under the direction of the Wakefield Heritage Commission. Shown in photo: Pam Wiggin, Chairman of the WHC and Phil Twombley, Vice Chairman.

Heritage Centre of Wakefield/

Lovell Union Grange

26 Province Lake Road, Sanbornville, NH

Wednesdays & Saturdays 10am to 12pm

Closed for the season!

​Historic Wakefield NH

East Wakefield School

1892 Province Lake Rd, East Wakefield, NH

Wednesdays & Saturdays 10am

to 12pm 

Closed for the Season!

The Heritage Park

 Railroad Museum

Freight House 

One Chapel Street, Union, NH

Saturdays & Sundays

12PM - 4PM

Closed for the Season!