The Concord Coach Gallery

The images in this gallery are the work of Charles Bourbeau, a life time Concord Coach enthusiast. He grew up in Concord New Hampshire and one of the first things on wheels that he can remember was a bright red Abbot-Downing Coach at the train station.
Charles has spent the last 25 years as a professional photographer, and capturing the Concord Coach in photos has been very special to him. These photos are from the originals from "The Concord Stage Coach Now and Then" a series by Mr. Bourbeau.
Note: It is possible that some of the Concord Coaches shown in this Gallery may have changed owners or locations.

Click on each image to view (400x321 126K)

"The Flume" The New Hampshire state government has a Concord Coach on unusual exhibit, high in the White Mountains. This vehicle, an Abbot-Downing product of 1874, was obtained from a Vermont source in 1933 by the Society for the Preservation of New Hampshire Forests and placed on display at the Flume, in Franconia Notch, which it then operated, and it has remained there ever since under state custody. This coach was labeled "Plymouth-Franconia Mountains." In 1963, Mrs. Rachel Adams of Lincoln, wife of former Governor and Presidential Assistant Sherman Adams, sponsored renovations of the old vehicle, for use in the 1964 bicentennial celebration of the lumbering town of Lincoln. The Division of Parks has recently completed a new building in which this coach is now housed.

"The Francestown" This coach was used for many years to carry passengers between Francestown and Greenfield, New Hampshire, as well as over other lines in New Hampshire. It has always been in the town and is now jointly owned by The Francestown Improvement and Historical Society. It can be seen in Francestown on the Labor Day Weekend Celebration. Usually events run from Friday to Monday evening.

"The Glen" This 9 passenger coach was used on the stage line from Northwood to Concord. It was built in 1874.

"The Centre Harbor" This coach was purchased for use in tourist service from Center Harbor to the White Mountains around 1866. The Concord Monitor, a daily newspaper in Corcord, is the proud owner of this splendid coach which is on display in the lobby of their new building.

"The New London and Potter Place" This coach now owned by Colby-Sawyer College was ordered by Lewen C. Currier of Hopkinton, New Hampshire on March 12, 1874. Mr. Currier ran the coach for a few years between Hopkinton and Concord. A later owner of this coach became interested in the way the westerners hitched three horses abreast instead of the usual two lead and two sheelers, and had his driver, Charles F. Shepard, try this arrangement. Soon other coachmen in the east tried and accepted this method.

"The Jefferson Hill House" Among the oldest known Concord Coaches in existence. This coach was restored approximately 25 years ago in its original patterns. Research shows it was located in Jefferson, New Hampshire and owned by E.E. Bedell. It is currently the centerpiece of the carriage collection at Six Gun City in Jefferson.

"North Conway" A privately owned coach in this town is destined for public display in a local bank.

"The Sandwich" The Concord Coach owned by the Town of Sandwich and used by the Fair Association was built by Lewis Downing & Sons in 1850. The coach was ordered by Curtis A. Coe of the Center House in Center Harbor and gave patrons of the house many pleasure trips in the mountain region. This coach is on display during the summer on the Sandwich Fair Grounds Museum.
The restoration of this coach was supervised by Edwin G. Burgum. Mr. Burgum painted the ornamentation on several coaches in the 1930's using the techniques and designs he learned from his father, John Burgum, an ornamenter for the Abbot-Downing Company.

"The Woodsville" Believed to have been built for Hon. Ginery Twichell, a stage line operater in Central Massachusetts between 1830 and 1846. This restored coach is now the property of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cowles of Bath, New Hampshire. It is a familiar sight at parades and other festivities throughout New England.
More excellent information about the The Concord Coach
Concord Coach plans are now available! More information.

All photographs in this gallery are copyrighted, and protected by the copyright laws of the United States. If this photo or associated information is used anywhere other than the author's original system, the author must be notified in writing and the copyright notice must remain intact. Photographs are further copyrighted by Charles Bourbeau.

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