If you walk the Mountain Division Trail in South Windham, think of what was once here.

When the railroad came to Windham, several things happened. Cross Street, which ran between River Road and Main Street, became Depot Street. The new train depot station was built right on the corner of High and Cross streets. The coming of the railroad spelled the end of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, which ran nearly parallel to the railroad.

The railroad through Windham was chartered in 1867 to be known as the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad. Ogdensburg is a town on the St. Lawrence River in New York, just west of Lake Ontario.

The new line would thus provide a direct link for commerce with the Midwest. However, the rails never extended beyond St. Johnsbury, Vt. Other railroads continued the journey west.

In 1888, Maine Central took over the P&O and it became part of their system.

According to historians, “The first train of cars passed over this road from Portland to Lake Sebago on Sept. 12, 1870.”

There were six trains scheduled daily, plus a lot that were added. Windham had two depots – one at South Windham and another at Newhall.

There were sidings to several industries and businesses in the area: the woolen mill at Mallison Falls, the Androscoggin Pulp Mill at Little Falls, Peabody’s grain and coal store, L.C. Andrew lumber yard, Paris Flouring (grain store), DuPont Powder Mill at Newhall, and Dixon Brothers propane gas.

The train also carried the U.S. Mail.

In six months ending March 31, 1873, more than 800 tons of pressed hay was transported via rail from South Windham to Boston.

Passenger service was extensive. People commuted to school and work in the cities.

Train transportation was a vital link for the community. It eventually became known as the Mountain Division.

Today, a walking trail is here. Named for the railroad line it parallels, the Mountain Division Trail will one day span 52 miles between Fryeburg and Portland. Two sections of the trail are currently open. A 6-mile segment between Standish and South Windham provides a gently rolling excursion in the rural Sebago Lake watershed area.

The second leg, in Fryeburg, begins not far from the Maine-New Hampshire border and travels approximately 4 miles along the railroad right-of-way.