This Rare Antique Bristol Vermont Railroad Stock Certificate is a unique and valuable piece of history for any collector or railroad enthusiast. Made in the 1900s, this certificate showcases a stunning vignette featuring a highly sought-after Forney Locomotive, which was predominantly used in the Northeast due to its remarkable speed and ability to navigate tight curves - a must-have for the rigorous New England railway system. Measuring at 11 1 / 4 x 7 1 / 4, this antique certificate is in great condition and boasts intriguing details that make it a true treasure for any collector. Don't miss out on the chance to add this rare and fascinating piece to your collection today.
This is a really rare and interesting stock with a lot of history! The Forney's disadvantages, as citizens can tell you, is that these trains were very loud and produced a lot of smoke and sometimes cinders which, as you can imagine, back then could be quite the issue with fires.
The town of Bristol, VT started this railroad in 1890, and the grand opening took place on January 5, 1892, although service had really begun on November 25, 1891, when a car of potatoes was shipped out of Bristol. It, unfortunately, succumbed during the Great Depression as so many other companies but is a very unique part of American and Railroad history.
Another neat thing about the provenance of these stocks is if you look at the top of the back on this particular one, you can see the bond paper company the stocks were printed on out of Boston, MA. The next few I looked at did not have this particular marking or it is so faint like this one I can't see it with my old eyes, but it is neat nonetheless to tie it all together history-wise.
Another neat fact one man John S. Burt is immortalized forever because he rode the first and the last train to ever run this track. It is so neat! He outlived his 15 minutes of fame by almost 100 years, better than I will ever do.
This
site has some amazing pictures and a timeline you can expand at the bottom about the business. It is so fascinating.
Imagine hanging this antique historic collectible on your wall as home decor in any room! Stock certificates are another thing that is limited in supply and once they are gone all into museums and collections, they will be hard to get. They are such historic documents with so much history behind them.