NH's Abandoned Transportation Museum

I enjoy those things whose creation was driven by love - built with the same mindset whether one person was going to see it or one million - which was the case with the Beaver Brook Transportation Museum in Mont Vernon. The creators of the museum, Eddie and Beth Gilbert, were buyers of opportunity for all things transportation related, and after moving up from Massachusetts they began displaying their one-of-a-kind collection at their farm. Unfortunately they closed their doors nearly ten years ago, but many of the items still remain if you are a determined explorer.

A small stream separates the property from the dirt road that takes you to Beaver Brook, and I found three entrances that cross this stream and access the museum. Two of them - the collapsing bridges below - are no longer in any condition to use, and the third way in was the property's main driveway. Rather than make myself that obvious, I hid my bike in the woods and rock-hopped across the water.

Here came the first indications that this was a transportation related place. Running parallel to the river along the property side is an overgrown trail, and within it are remnants of an old railroad. Not a full size one, but one of those tourist ones you'd see carrying visitors around an amusement park.

I followed the tracks and soon enough found a couple of the engines. The Gilbert's purchased much of their train collection from the Edaville Railroad Museum out of Massachusetts, a similar tourist spot they frequented before moving to New Hampshire.

I wasn't about to pass up the chance to hop on board and take a few pictures of myself in the conductor position.

After playing on the trains I continued up the trail through the rear of the property, and being that this was a transportation museum it was no surprise when I began finding vehicles in the woods. I could have used my dad at this point, because not only am I sure he would have known the year and model of each one of these cars, but he probably could have told me a story or two about smashing one up in his youth.

I'm still not sure what this truck was, but I left a few present on the dashboard for anyone who finds their way out here.

I'm always respectful on these explorations, and because of that I almost skipped taking a peek inside this tarped building. But I stuck my head inside the door and was glad my curiosity got the best of me.

It seemed to be a catch-all of old exhibits. Among the many items was this trolley, looking like the last thing that's still holding up the roof.

At some point the roof will win out and completely crush this thing, but I trusted it wouldn't be at this exact moment. At one time this must have been a very elegant ride.

To give you an idea of the variety of things the Gilbert's collected - and as evidence I wasn't the first explorer here - I found this broken doll propped up in a wheelchair. Why either of them were in here to begin with, I cannot imagine.

In addition to transportation there were many items related to the Gilbert's second love - Christmas. This is the kind of stocking I hope to see under our tree someday, with the name Dave written across it.

After the barn, I finished my exploration at what I consider the greatest attraction of the museum. We talked about how the Gilbert's were opportunity buyers, and when this giant Santa that once stood outside a used car dealership went up for sale, they snatched it. You can see this Santa from the dirt road leading in, so a few months later I drove my wife by here so she could take a picture with it.

I still chuckle over how anyone could combine such unrelated things as Christmas and transportation into a single, and successful, business, but there are no playbooks to follow when you're creating something purely for the enjoyment of creating it.



Links:

Beaver Brook's official page: https://web.archive.org/web/20200809025704/http://www.beaverbrookmuseum.com/

For a video tour of the museum, and where I first learned about this great place, see this video.