GREAT FALLS MODEL RAILROAD CLUB
Mc Laughlin Garden Trees and Trains: December 2010
McLaughlin Garden in South Paris held its 10th annual Trees and Trains exhibit in the historic 1840s barn during the first two weekends in December. Members of the Great Falls Model Railroad Club participated fully in the event, setting up and operating the G-gauge garden railroad and the smaller layouts. The following 25 pictures were taken on December 4 and 5, 2010. Six of the photos show Brownies and Junior Scouts from Troop #864 of Hebron, with their two troop leaders Racine Bruce and Patty Schorr and with parent/chaperone Rebecca Tufts.
A major feature of the Trees and Trains exhibit has always been the authentic scale-model replicas of the original railroad stations and other railroad-related structures in the Oxford Hills area. These models were created in 1999-2000 by the students in that year's Oxford Hills Gifted and Talented program. Each building is made of natural materials, including twigs, acorn caps, and scales from pine cones.
To view the photos and explanations more easily, maximize the screen.
Above left: Visitors to the barn were welcomed by Beth Chaffee. Center: Jerry Johnston checks a train in the hollow log tunnel.
Above: Matthew Trischler(left) and another young boy were among the many train enthusiasts at the McLaughlin Garden.
Above: Parents enjoyed sharing the trains with their children. Right: Travis Johnson, Jeff Chaffee, and Jerry Johnston.
Above left: Brenda and Ed Leslie talking to Rebecca Tufts and scouts, including photographer Chloe Tufts. Center, clockwise Rebecca Tufts, Racine Bruce, Julie Bruce, and (back to the camera) Brenda Leslie (fur hat) and Patty Schorr gather around the space heater. Right (back to the camera): Chloe Tufts.
Above: Travis Johnson explained train details to a fascinated group of scouts.
Above: Although the Norway train station no longer exists, the South Paris station is now an ice cream parlor. Waterford never had a train station. Passengers would leave the train in Harrison and then take a boat ride up Long Lake or go the long way around by horse and carriage to arrive at Waterford's two-story Lake House (as shown here), which is still a "bread and breakfast" inn today.
Above: The Mechanic Falls station has been used as a store, the Buckfield station has been torn down, and the West Minot station has been converted into a private home. During the 1920s and 1930s many high school students from West Minot and Hebron took the train from either the West Minot station or the East Hebron station to Buckfield High School, which was only a short walk from the Buckfield station.
The Oxford station was the only two-story station in the area. The water tower was an important structure in the days of steam locomotives. Both the water tower and the engine house were constructed by the students as part of this project.
Above: Jeff and Beth Chaffee have shared their special Christmas village layout for many years.
Above, seated on the floor, left to right: Kristin Perry, Director of Horticulture at the McLaughlin Garden, and Jennifer O'Rourke, Interim Director, watch activities in the children's play area.