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Tag: Local History

Keene Station Historical Plaque

 Barry Diceman and Joe Taylor smile as they unveil our brand new historical plaque

Last Thursday, under a haze of humidity, a crowd of community members and trail supporters gathered around the new Keene Station Gazebo to witness the unveiling of a brand new historical plaque and dedication to the gazebo donors. The ceremony, carried out by Lang Hastings Trail board president Barry Diceman and Mayor of Otonabee South Monaghan Joe Taylor, was the result of many months of hard work by board members and community volunteers alike. 

To kick off the unveiling, board member Christine Painter introduced Clementine MacLeod, the Engagement and Sustainability summer student, and expressed appreciation to Trans Canada Trail for a spring clean-up grant of $1,000.  Barry Diceman delivered a heartfelt speech, honouring the accomplishments of the committee and the vibrant history of the trail. 

In his speech, Diceman explained that the board decided that the Keene Station site “needed something to add some character and information to the location” to encourage trail users to properly appreciate its historical importance. Diceman went on to thank all those who offered their help and support in the erection and maintenance of the gazebo and trail, then invited mayor Joe Taylor to help him in unveiling the plaque for the first time. 

Taylor gave a meaningful short address, acknowledging the importance of the trail to the community.  Together, Barry and Joe pulled down the curtain and revealed the plaque to the group. With an enthusiastic cheer, the crowd welcomed a new era of the Keene Station and demonstrated the strong community brought together by the Lang Hastings Trail. 

The Retirement of Keene Station

76 Year Old Station May Soon Close

 

This article, appearing in the February 1st, 1958 edition of the Peterborough Examiner describes the Otonabee Township Council’s decision to retire the Keene Railway station. The station, which was established in 1882, functioned primarily as an outgoing and receiving depot for various types of freight and mail. However, throughout the years, the station demonstrated a lack of patronage and use that would eventually force the council to call for its retirement.

Though the historic nature of the station made its retirement a nostalgic and sentimental event, the unused railway would eventually transform into another beloved community landmark: our very own Lang Hastings Trail.

 

A (Literally) Trailblazing History

The above article, penned by D. Gayle Nelson, details the dramatic history of the Keene station and surrounding railway, as told by local newspaper articles. Nelson makes reference to a 1958 article describing the retirement of the Keene station, a 1967 council resolution, and the shocking 1884 accident where a freight train ran off its tracks straight into a swamp.

Nelson’s article, as well as the momentous events it describes, helps to illustrate the railway’s vivid past. Which, in turn, demonstrates the historical importance of what is now the Lang Hastings Trail.