Boothbay Railway Village: Classic Cars and Trains in Greater Portland

Boothbay Railway Village in Boothbay, Maine, is unusual among New England museums; no other location exhibits classic automobiles, buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, and narrow-gauge railroads in one museum. Only about an hour north of Portland, and roughly the same distance south of Augusta in the Mid Coast region, Boothbay Railway Village is sure to excite enthusiasts of automobiles, railroads and 19th century history.

Since 1964, when the museum opened, more than 60 classic and antique cars have been restored and are now on display. From the 1830s-era One Horse Shay carriage, to the automobiles of the 1890s and up to a 1962 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II, the exhibits run the gamut of automotive history. The collection even includes a restored 1885 Button Steam Pumper, on loan from the Old Town, Maine, fire department, that’s indicative of the steam-powered machines used to battle blazes long before diesel and gas came into play.

Along with the classic cars, Boothbay Railway Village boasts a narrow-gauge railroad that stretches over three- quarters of a mile. The 2-foot gauge line, which was built at the museum, is a prime example of the narrow-gauge railroads that dominated Maine in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Three steam locomotives, with a fourth being restored, remain on hand to carry visitors through the Boothbay Railway Village, and even let guests off at the station lobby of one of the two vintage station houses on village property.

Also on the Boothbay Railway Village roster are two dozen examples of rail equipment -- boxcars, engines and dump cars -- that were commonly used on the Maine railroads. There’s even a two-day class offered in late October each year that allows visitors to learn how to operate a steam locomotive.

The exhibits don’t stop with automobiles and railroad memorabilia; 13 vintage and replica buildings that date from about the 1850s to 1923 make up the village portion of Boothbay Railway Village. The structures include a town hall built in 1847, the aforementioned two station houses, several car houses and an octagonal crossing shanty that was once used on the Portland rail lines.

For those visitors who might not be interested in the exhibits, Boothbay Railway Village hosts a summer book fair in July and a Fall Festival in October that consists of a craft fair, food stalls, and entertainment on the village green.

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