WHITE RIVER JCT., Vt. (WCAX) – A weathervane that was stolen from the White River Junction train station more than 40 years ago is finally going back home. Hartford residents will now have the chance to weigh in on where it will end up.
Freight and passenger trains roll up and down the tracks in White River Junction ever single day.
It’s their noises that Chris McKinley loves the most. “The noises of the trains, the chatter of the people on the platform,” he said
McKinley has been a volunteer at the train station for over two decades. But the weathervane at the top of the station — a replica of the original — has caught the attention of the public.
The original weathervane was built 115 years ago and was returned to Vermont last year after turning up at Sotheby’s auction house in New York. It was stolen from the station back in 1983. The thieves were never arrested.
“I would like to see it stay at the Town Hall under glass with a story about what happened with it,” McKinley said.
The state actually owns the station and the weathervane but the plan is to return it to Hartford. “The state still is involved and they are going to want to make sure it is in a good home,” said Hartford Town Planner Matt Osborn.
A public meeting on being held on January 15th to come up with some ideas. Osborn says it’s an intriguing story with a happy ending. “It’s being returned after over 40 years away from the town. It’s exciting and I think people are interested in having it here,” he said.
Wherever it end up, McKinley hopes it is showcased to share his love of trains — and in this case — a mystery on the rails. “They will see that wherever they have it put and it will give them something to think about,” he said.