The Shoebox

Ice Breaking Over Amoskeag (1936)

PSNH purchased Amoskeag Station in 1936, the year this photo was taken. The hydro dam, built in 1924, is located on the Merrimack River in Manchester’s Millyard.

See this same scene, taken just a few years ago, on PSNH’s Flickr page.

2013-03-04: Updated with Flickr photo. Thanks to Bob Gundersen.

A Little Help From My Friends (1980s)

PSNH crews helping Boston Edison after the March 29, 1984 storm. While the man in the middle is unknown, to his left is Bert Guimond and to his right is Whitey Leblanc. Boston Edison became NSTAR Electric, which recently merged with PSNH’s parent company, Northeast Utilities.

2013-01-14: Updated with names of employees. Thanks to Kim Burleigh, George Kellermann, and Lee Lajoie.

Students Tour Amoskeag (c. 1970s)

Who doesn’t want to learn how a power plant works? Here, hydro employee Frank Bellefeuille is pointing out the instrumentation and controls at Amoskeag Hydro Station. The 17.5 MW renewable plant—located in Manchester’s millyard—continues to be a popular destination for students today.

2012-09-07: Thanks to Mark and Wendy Vattes for updating us with the employee’s name. According to Mark, “My Dad, John Vattes, a PSNH retiree, confirmed that the PSNH employee pictured in the photograph is Joseph Francis “Frank” Bellefeuille. My Dad worked at the Amoskeag Hydro in the 1960s and early 1970s with Frank, who is also my Mom’s uncle.”

A Show of Hands (unknown date)

In this photo, PSNH employee Rudy Chouinard is cleaning and testing the rubber gloves that linemen use on the job. As a lineman’s last line of defense, sound rubber gloves are crucial when working on power lines. The ones pictured would protect a lineman on PSNH’s 7,200 volt system.

Though the technology is a little different, the process is more or less the same today as it was back when this photo was taken. Every month, used gloves are washed and then electrically tested for integrity. This involves immersing them in water and inserting an electrode charged with 20,000 volts of electricity.

This photo was taken at 1250 Hooksett Road, located in Hooksett, NH. Today, the rubber gloves are serviced at our Central Warehouse in Bow.

2012-06-11: Updated with the employee’s name. Thanks to Tim Roukey and Bob LaChance for the information.

Who Says Linemen Can’t Jump? (c. 1970s)

The PSNH employee basketball team poses for a group shot. Exact year unknown, but from those uniforms, we’re guessing sometime in the ’70s.

Top Row: Frank Swierz, Barry Dudka, Joe Stazowski, George St. John, Frank Manning.

Bottom Row: Tom Rasza, Tom Katsikas, Bob Heaton, Phil St. Laurent.

2012-05-30: According to Bob Heaton (#24), #25 is Joe Stazowski.

2012-05-25: #25 (middle of top row)was mistakenly reported as being Dana Flanders. (Sorry!) If you happen to know the name of player #25, please let us know using the link below.

PSNH Lineman (c. 1950s)

According to Linda Clark, the lineman in this photo is Roland Nichols.

He worked on the lines with my grandfather, Harry (Doc) Nelson. My grandfather worked from the 1920s throughout the late 50s. Nick gave our family a chocolate cake recipe which has been handed down through present generation.

2013-01-14: Updated with name of lineman.

Reddy Kilowatt Hanging Out (unknown date)

Reddy Kilowatt, just hanging out at one of PSNH’s offices. 

According to Don Hawkins Jr.:

The man with his hands in his pockets is Jim Morrison a lineman and later foreman at NH Electric and Seacoast Div.

2013-01-14: Updated with name of employee.

Diver at Greggs Falls Hydro (1955)

Diver inspecting water gate at Greggs Falls Hydro Station in Goffstown. PSNH owned Greggs Falls until the mid-1980s. It still operates and is visible from RT 114 in Goffstown. Divers are used extensively at hydro plants to make underwater repairs without drawing down the reservoir.

2012-05-02: Thanks to Bob Gundersen for the updated description!

Visiting the Power Plant (1968)

Two boys at Merrimack Station’s Open House for Unit #2.

2012-06-15: We originally placed this photo at the original Merrimack Station open house in 1961. Eagled-eyed retiree James O’Gara noticed the transformer for Unit #2 in the background. As he points out, Unit #2 didn’t come online until 1968!

Installing Amoskeag’s Turbine (c. 1920s)

This picture shows the installation of the Unit #2 water turbine at Amoskeag. Amoskeag Station in Manchester, NH on the Merrimack River was completed in 1924 by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. PSNH purchased the facility in 1936. The three original turbines total about 16 megawatts and continue operation as valuable renewable resources. There have been dams of one sort or another at the Amoskeag Falls since 1806.

2012-04-13: Thanks to Bob for the updated info!