May 11 2024 18 mins
Today you can walk or ride your bike along several lengthy segments of the old West River Railroad thanks to the efforts of non profit Friends of the West River Trail. You can also pick up physical maps at their trailhead on the river near the Marina Restaurant in Brattleboro. That’s also where the West River and Connecticut River meet, just next to the Vermont Canoe Touring Center, where the bridge collapsed and JJ Green died. It’s also where the Amtrak line crosses on a new bridge today.
The West River Railroad Museum in Newfane and the Historical Society of Windham County nearby in Newfane are well worth a visit.
This episode of the Brattleboro Words Trail Podcast was researched, written and narrated by Deborah Lee Luskin. It was produced and edited by Donna Blackney. Executive Producer was me, Lissa Weinmann. The voice of JJ Green is John Loggia. The voice reading the 1885 newspaper account of JJ Green’s death is Jon Mack. Mastering of the original Brattleboro Words Trail audio and all Brattleboro Words Trail audio was by Guilford Sound. Audio editing for the podcast was by Alec Pombriant. Credit for JJ Green image goes to Daniel Brooks and the Historical Society of Windham County. Thanks to Laura Wallingford at the Historical Society of Windham County for her guidance and support.
Downloadable Trail Maps:
Link to Friends of West River Trail lower section of the West River Trail map, Brattleboro and Dummerston: https://westrivertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/west-river-trail-map_11x17-2018.pdf
Link to Friends of West River Trail upper section of the West River Trail map, Townsend to Londonderry: https://westrivertrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/uppersectiontrailmap.pdf
For more on the West River, see Brattleboro Words Trail Elizabeth Florette Fischer story for a glimpse into the unique geology of the site, and the piece on the ancient Petroglyphs on the West River.
Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Vermont Arts Council and the hundreds of volunteers and community members who support this work.