NHCT PROJECTS
Village Trust Initiative
In the fall of 2025, New Haven was chosen as one of five towns in the state to receive the Village Trust Initiative Program to help complete restoration of the historic New Haven Depot. The community has rallied to find the best path forward to make the Depot a true asset for the people of our town.
You can read more about the Village Trust Initiative (VTI) here: https://www.vtrural.org/village-trust/
To that end, the New Haven Community Trust was formed in October 2025 and its board began the work of establishing a nonprofit entity to begin working with the community and the Village Trust Initiative on its first project- the Depot
New Haven Train Depot
Take a 3D tour of the interior of the Depot! Click here!
HISTORY
The former New Haven train station originally stood adjacent to railroad tracks just north of the western junction of US 7 and Vermont 17 in the village of New Haven Junction. It is a two-story brick building with a gabled roof. It has Italianate styling, including rounded-arch windows and extended eaves supported by large brackets.
The station's exact construction date is not known, and is assumed to be in the decade following the 1849 introduction of railroad service to the area by the Rutland and Burlington Railroad. The station was first listed as a stop in that railroad's timetables in 1854, and the current brick station was completed during August 1868, replacing a wooden structure across the tracks (which became the freighthouse). The railroad was in the second half of the 19th century an important transportation artery for both the Burlington area's lumber industry, and the Rutland area's marble quarries. The station became a junction in 1891 when the Bristol Railroad opened.
The building underwent restoration in the late 1970s. In the 21st century, it was determined that the building needed to be moved or demolished to accommodate the Amtrak Ethan Allen Express extension to Burlingtonsince the structure was too close to the tracks to permit trains to run at 59 miles per hour (95 km/h). The town Select Board chose a new site for the building, adjacent to the town office and library, in May 2021. Moving the station was expected to cost more than $600,000. The town applied for state and regional funding to move the structure. The Vermont Department of Historic Preservation transferred ownership to the town in December 2020. The building was moved to a town-owned lot on January 12, 2022, with a new foundation poured that spring. Since then, the slate and copper roof has been restored and the windows and doors will be replaced in October 2026.
DEPOT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In the fall and winter of 2025/26, the New Haven Selectboard invited the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) to bring its “Community Visits” program to the town. Over 150 New Haven residents participated in a process that identified two priority projects for the community to take on. An Affordable Housing Task Force and a Community Gathering Spaces Task Force were formed and as of Spring 2026, these groups are outlining opportunities and goals. A subcommittee of the Gathering Spaces Task Force (now known as the New Haven Neighbors) was formed to help with the community engagement requirements for the VTI program’s support of the Depot project. Working hand in hand with the Community Trust, this group of community volunteers helped to solicit input from New Haven residents on what they might want to consider for the use of the Depot space.
SECOND ANNUAL DEPOT DAY FESTIVAL!
The Second Annual Depot Day Festival was a huge success!! Held on Saturday, September 12 from 1-3 pm under sunny skies and with friendly faces. Back by popular demand was Jim Jones, author of the book New Haven Junction-Bristol VT: Crossroads to Caskets; The New Haven Historical Society , The New Haven Community Library hosted Electra’s Engineers and their miniature train set up, the New Haven Congregational Church brought train tattoos for the kids; Live Music with Jeff Pratt and Chris Granstrom served up Free Strawberry Ice Cream Cones! The New Haven Neighbors brought disc golf for everyone to try out and the New Haven Conservation Commission shared information about their trail cam lending program. Survey results from the community engagement process were shared along with a floor plan created by Vermont Integrated Architects. (Survey results here)
DRAFT FLOOR PLAN OF DEPOT DEVELOPED BY VIA
NHCT has been working with Vermont Integrated Architects to develop a floor plan based on the community survey results (see above) to determine the best possible layout and construction plan for the depot building. Because the state holds an easement on the building, consideration of both interior and exterior space requirements have been included. The plan will sent to both structural engineers and ultimately cost estimators to determine with NHCT what aspects of the plan can be completed given available resources and the success of a capital campaign that will begin once the construction costs have been determined. This process has been done in conjunction with the Preservation Trust of Vermont as well as the Vermont Council on Rural Development.
Possible Depot layout plans in three phases:
