Words on the water, Literary history exhibit coming to new Amtrak station
By Lissa Weinmann, Brattleboro Words Project
BRATTLEBORO — A new bridge over the Connecticut River linking Brattleboro and New Hampshire will open in 2024. The old Anna Hunt Marsh and Charles Dana bridges will be repurposed for pedestrians and bikes, a change expected to transform a woefully neglected riverfront in the center of Brattleboro’s historic downtown to something new, beautiful and accessible.
Thanks to a new partnership, audio stories and a new exhibit focused on the area’s incredibly rich history will help animate that transformation.
The Brattleboro Words Trail is partnering with Amtrak to mount a permanent exhibit celebrating the town’s rich history of words on the track-facing exterior wall of a new Amtrak station, expected to open in fall 2024 on the river side of the existing tracks. People arriving in Brattleboro or waiting for a train will be able to listen to stories about sites on both sides of the river from their cell phones. Locals drawn to the new waterfront amenities will deepen their knowledge about and appreciation of their home.
“Stations are at the heart of the communities Amtrak serves, and introducing this new artwork in Brattleboro station will further enhance our customers’ experience while adding to that local community presence,” said Dr. David Handera, Amtrak vice president of stations, facilities, properties and accessibility. “It is a great fit for us to highlight Brattleboro’s unique and rich literary history by including the beautiful, locally created Brattleboro Words Trail murals and maps as part of the design for the new Amtrak station.”