Wenham's Street Railway

People like getting to places fast. We can get around relatively easy today in cars, trains, planes and other modes of transportation. At the turn of the 20th century, people wanted to get around faster too, and at a cheaper cost. So, street railways started making an appearance. Not just in cities like Salem and Beverly, but even in the small town of Wenham. And streetcars would be much easier than taking care of a horse- and much more cost efficient as well. A petition was sent to the Wenham board of selectmen on September 29, 1885, from the Naumkeag Street Railway Company. They were petitioning to decide where tracks would be laid throughout Beverly, Wenham and Hamilton. Once tracks were laid, railway cars were planned to start early in the morning, so the first car would arrive from Wenham to Beverly by 7am. Cars held eight rows for passengers to sit on and would include a coal stove in the front during the wintertime. Horse stables were built in town to accommodate the horses, including this spot where you’re standing! The horse stable on the corners of Main and Arbor Street could hold 40 horses. Conductors and drivers didn’t just bring people around- they also ran errands as well! If you were sick and needed to pick up a prescription, the railway would make a stop and do it for you! Horses pulling railway cars were eventually replaced by electric cars in 1896. Tracks had to be relayed to accommodate the new cars and an overhead wire was installed. Services stopped in 1931 and the last car left South Hamilton in 1937. Today, there are no railway cars in town, but there is the commuter rail that can take passengers all the way to Boston.  

While streetcars in Wenham did not last for very long, it is still a fascinating part of the town's history, which you can read more about here. 

Images: Horsecar in 1890, Naumkeag Carbarn and Stable on Main Street, additional shot of carbarn and stable.