Southbridge station

Southbridge station is a former train station in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Built in 1910 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H), it is a rare local example of Spanish Mediterranean architecture, and is the only surviving railroad building in the town. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 as New York, New Haven & Hartford Passenger Depot.[1] It presently serves as the town's registry for motor vehicles.

New York, New Haven & Hartford Passenger Depot
The former station building in June 2021
Southbridge station is located in Massachusetts
Southbridge station
Southbridge station is located in the United States
Southbridge station
LocationLarochelle Way, Southbridge, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°4′37″N 72°2′0″W
Built1910
Architectural styleSpanish Villa
MPSSouthbridge MRA
NRHP reference No.89000554[1]
Added to NRHPJune 22, 1989

Description and history
Early-20th-century postcard of the station

The former station is located on a roughly triangular parcel between Southbridge’s downtown and the Quinebaug River, where much of its industry was historically located. The parcel is bounded on the northeast by the former railroad tracks, the south by Larochelle Way (formerly Depot Street), and on the north and west by Hook Street. It is a single story wood frame structure, built in a Spanish Colonial style, with stucco walls and tile roof. A similarly-roofed passenger waiting area once lined the south side of the track on the platform just north of the station, but this has been removed.[2]

Southbridge's railroad service began in 1866, with service provided by the Blackstone and Southbridge Railroad. The track originally extended further to the northwest, nearer the Hamilton Woolen Company mill complex, where there once stood passenger and freight depots and an office building. After a series of mergers, the service was taken over by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1907. This depot was built by that railroad in 1910, and served as a passenger station until 1930. Its style, which is uncommon in any sort of building in central Massachusetts, was somewhat typical for railroad-related infrastructure during the early 20th century.[2]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "MACRIS inventory record for New York, New Haven & Hartford Passenger Depot". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-01-01.

Media related to Southbridge station at Wikimedia Commons

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