B&MRRHS Receives Bequest
Lowell, August 19, 2016 --The Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, Inc. has received an exceptionally generous bequest from the estate of longtime member Preston S. Johnson. The bequest, in excess of $100,000, is a moving confirmation of Preston’s regard for the B&MRRHS, and his wish to further the Society’s educational and historic preservation programs and activities.
Born in Lawrence, Mass. in 1923, Preston Johnson grew up in Andover and began working for the Boston and Maine Railroad on December 25, 1939---before he graduated from high school! He dedicated his nearly 5-decade long career to the B&M, rising to the position of Chief Dispatcher before retiring in 1984. His depth of knowledge about trains and railroading made him an unofficial historian for the B&M. He loved sharing his years of experience and knowledge with fellow train enthusiasts and travelled extensively by train across North America, documenting and photographing his travels for railroad publications. He served as president of the Old Railroad Wheels, the B&MRR retired employees’ organization, for 20 years.
Preston filled his retired years with community service. He was President of the Melrose Chapter of AARP, served on the Board of the Milano Senior Center, and was a longtime member of the Wakefield Retired Men's Club. He donated his extensive collection of railroad literature and hardware to the B&MRRHS prior to his death in 2015.
The Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, Inc. was founded in 1971 for the preservation of materials related to the history of the Boston and Maine Railroad and its predecessor lines. The Society has 950 members worldwide. The group maintains its Archives at the Center for Lowell History, part of the UMass Lowell library system, and holds a collection of railroad hardware and artifacts. It also preserves B&M steam locomotive No. 410 and combination coach-baggage car No. 1244 which are on permanent display in Lowell. The Society publishes a journal, known as the B&M Bulletin and presents monthly educational programs for its members on a variety of topics related to railroading.
The B&MRRHS board of directors has designated part of the bequest to be used for digitizing items from its collection of railroad photos, documents, and drawings.
