Focusing on Railroads...Depots and a Little History (#3)

OK, I'm back at it...into my series that revisits groups of my favorite road-trip railway depot photos.  Moving a bit further back in my blogging history, this group of photos begins in early 2019 and ends in mid-2018.  Of course some of the most interesting depot photos I've taken were of derelict depots with interesting architecture...some of them quite massive.  But I decided to go with the positive photos.  I hope that railroad and railway depot fans agree with me...

This classic railway station with the covered portico is located at the Shelburne Museum near Burlington Vermont.  The depot once served as the original depot for the town of Shelburne.  The station was built in 1890, serving passengers for both the Central Vermont and Rutland Railroads.  It was designed by the same architect who designed the nearby Vanderbilt-Webb estate.  The founder of the Museum, Electra Havemeyer Webb and her family frequently used the depot for their trips to New York City.  Rail service to Shelburne ceased in 1953 and Mrs. Webb had the station moved to its current location at the museum. 

Note: The steam locomotive peeking out of its protective shed, No. 220, was built by the American Locomotive Company in 1915 for the Central Vermont Railway.  This locomotive became known as the 'Locomotive of the Presidents", as it powered special trains carrying Presidents Coolidge, Hoover, F.D. Roosevelt and Eisenhower.

The Shelburne Depot also serves as a railway museum.  Exhibits include waiting rooms for men and women, the stationmaster's office, telegraphic equipment, maps, historic photos, early telephone equipment, and much more.

I thought that this classic little railway depot was built for the township of Milton Maine in 1873.  It was constructed by the Maine Central Railroad.  Further research indicates that it served as the Depot for Jay (The Bridge) Maine.  I did find a post card showing this depot, that was dated in 1914.  At the time we stopped by this 512 sq. ft. structure was listed for sale at $50,000.  I discovered that it sold for $42,500.  Someone new now owns a little piece of railway history.

The Gilead Maine Railway Station was built in 1851.  It is the oldest known surviving railroad depot in the State of Maine as well as the oldest surviving depot that served the former Grand Trunk Railway.  It was relocated to the town of Auburn Maine for about 20 years but it was returned to Gilead in 2001.  It is maintained by the Gilead Historical Society.  In 1850 Gilead had a population of 359 but now its down to 195. 

The Grand Trunk Railway was founded in 1845, connecting Montreal Quebec Canada to Portland Maine.  It provided a means to ship goods to Montreal via an ice-free port during the winters.  The railway operated the route until the 1920s.

During our New England road trip a few years ago, we drove through St. Johnsbury Vermont.  That's where we discovered this large and very eye-catching former railway depot.  At one point in the mid-1800s, St. Johnsbury became a junction for east-west and north-south rail lines.  In 1883 the Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad and the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad joined in the construction of this big French Chateau-style station.  The depot now serves as a Visitor's Welcome Center and it contains the town's municipal offices.

This former railway station in Rockland Maine was built in 1917 by the Maine Central Railroad.  It is the eastern terminus of the Rockland Branch, a state-owned track connecting Rockland and Brunswick Maine.  The Maine Central operated passenger service to this depot until 1959.  For a while, until 1996, it served as Rockland's City Hall.  Currently, it is occupied by a restaurant.

Still moving in reverse order by date...and in this case during our road trip to New England a few years ago...the depot shown in the 2 photos above is located at Boothbay Maine's Railway Village.  

The founder of the Village decided that he had to have a place for his collection of railway memorabilia and, in 1963, he discovered that the nearby Freeport Maine railway station was up for sale.  So he bought, had it cut into 9 sections and then moved each section 50 miles to Boothbay.  Then it was reassembled and it now is the centerpiece for the Railway Village.  Originally it was built by the Maine Central Railroad Company in 1912.

During our New England road trip, as we cruised through Alton and Alton Bay New Hampshire, we noted a collection...a gaggle of little railroad depots.  There were 4 small depots in total and this one had the most curb appeal.  

This particular depot once served as the Loon Cove New Hampshire combination passenger and freight station.  The depot was built in 1891 by the Concord and Montreal Railroad and it served that railroad's Lake Shore Line.  When the line was shut down, the depot was modified and used as a private residence until 2005.  Today all 4 depots are part of the Boston and Maine Railway Park in Alton New Hampshire.

Moving south, this is the old Railway Station in East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania.  This depot was built in 1856.  The name on the Depot is a bit confusing, but that was the name of the restaurant that occupied the building when we overnighted in Stroudsburg.  It now appears that the restaurant has closed and it is being used as an event center, for live music, etc.

The depot was originally built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.  Passenger service ceased in January of 1970 when the railroad discontinued their "Lake Cities" service.  The structure was partially destroyed by fire in the early 2000s but the community rallied and it was rebuilt and refurbished.  In the Spring of 2021 Amtrak announced plans for a New York - Scranton Pennsylvania route so there is hope for renewed rail service.  Some of Scranton's Steamtown National Historic Site's excursion trains do stop here.

As we followed along our route in the Pocono Mountains we crossed a bridge over a railroad track and Laurie caught a glimpse of a little railway depot down in the hollow below us.  This is the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's Cresco Depot.  Thanks to its preservation by a local businessman, it now serves as the Cresco Station Museum.

The Cresco depot was completed ca. 1880.  The Poconos became a summer refuge for city dwellers and, a little later on, a destination for skiers in the winter.  I'm guessing that this photo of the depot, (right side of the picture), was taken sometime in the early to mid-1920s.  At its peak the depot processed up to several trains per day and up to 1,000 passengers.  The depot was closed in 1968.  The local historical society now maintains and operates the museum.

This stone railway depot with is pillared passenger platform is located at a very historic spot in American history.  The Valley Forge Train Station is located on the grounds of the Valley Forge National Historic Park.

The station was built in 1911 by the Reading Railroad.  It was the point of entry for most visitors to Pennsylvania's Valley Forge State Park.  The depot was built using the same type of stone that was used to build Washington's Headquarters at Valley Forge.  

The State Park was established in 1893 and it was Pennsylvania's first State Park.  Passengers arriving from Philadelphia disembarked here to visit the park.  The depot continued to operate through the 1950s.  Valley Forge became part of the United States National Park System in 1976.  The structure is now being used as a museum and information center.

Getting somewhat closer to our home in East Tennessee, this handsome 2-story railway depot near downtown Hagerstown Maryland, was built by the Western Maryland Railroad in 1913.  The second photo, which was taken from a postcard dated 1915, shows the depot in use during its early days.  This then new depot had replaced an earlier single story depot.  Western Maryland Railroad's tracks had reached Hagerstown by 1872.  Passenger service to the city ended in June of1957.  The former depot now serves as Hagerstown's Police Headquarters.

This last entry in my third edition revisiting handsome or eye-catching old railway depots, skips over to Decatur Illinois.  This is the former Wabash Railroad Station and Railway Express Agency building. These buildings were built in 1901 in the classic-revival style.  It is now serving as the Wabash Depot Antique Centre.  

This photo of Decatur's Wabash Railway Depot and Railway Express Agency buildings is dated ca. 1907.  The buildings were actually two different structures built to look the same and joined in the middle.  It is a bit mind-boggling but by 1907 as many as 72 passenger trains stopped at this depot every day!  Passenger service by Wabash's successor, the Norfolk and Western Railroad ceased in 1971.  Amtrak started a new service here in 1981 but it was short-lived, as it was discontinued in 1983.

That's all for now... Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for this glimpse of railroad history.

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave