Along the Valley Line. Max R. Miller

1966. It was razed shortly after this photo was taken. In the foreground are newly cut railroad ties that were being shipped from here by the J. Rossi Corp. PHOTO: F. WILLIAM ZAISER, COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOR.

Maromas Station, August 1, 1916. This is a southwesterly view of the two-story railroad station. The section foreman was usually the tenant of the upstairs living quarters and often boarded some of the section men from his crew. COLLECTION OF C. В. MCCOID.

Laurel Station, August 9, 1916. The station was located on the east (riverside) side of the tracks near the present location of the Middletown electric generating plant. This is a south facing view. COURTESY ROBERT T. EASTWOOD, SR.

      On Thursday March 23, 1871, the directors located the passenger and freight depot for Chester, known as Lords Farm. Chester subscribed to $17,500 in stock. Unfortunately, it was not as simple as that.

      Right away, on Saturday, April 22, 1871, the directors called a meeting to deal with two additional station sites that had been petitioned by citizens in Chester and Haddam and so ordered by the General Railroad Commissioners of the State of Connecticut. In Chester the additional station was to be, “immediately north of the highway [now Dock Road], leading to the Steamboat Landing in the Town of Chester.”⁴ This station was the original Chester Station. About eight months after the team located Lords Farm, at a meeting of the board of directors held on January 9, 1872, participants voted: