Tamaqua station

{{Short description|Disused railway station in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania}}

{{Infobox station

| name = Tamaqua

| type = Former Reading Railroad station

| style = Reading Company

| image = Tamaqua Railroad Station.jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption = Tamaqua station in July 2010

| structure =

| platform =

| opened = 1874

| closed = 1961

| rebuilt = 1880, 1885

| electrified =

| accessible =

| code =

| other_services_header = Former services

| other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system=Reading Company|line=Schuylkill Valley Branch|left=Newkirk}}

| address = 18 N. Railroad St.,
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| coordinates = {{coord|40.7980|-75.9701|display=inline,title}}

| architect =

| architectural_style = Italianate

| nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP

| name = Reading Railroad Passenger Station—Tamaqua

| nrhp_type =

| area =

| embed = yes

| added = December 26, 1985

| refnum = 85003164{{NRISref|2008a}}

}}

The Tamaqua station is a disused railway station that is located in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Tamaqua Historic District.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 26, 1985, as the Reading Railroad Passenger Station-Tamaqua.

History and architectural features

=19th century=

This station was originally built by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad in 1874, which had earlier acquired the Little Schuylkill Navigation, Railroad and Coal Company.[http://www.tamaquastation.com/default.aspx?pageid=246 Tamaqua Railroad Station - Historical Chronology]{{Dead link|date=October 2022}} It is a one-story brick building that was designed in the Italianate style.

In 1880, an addition was made to the original 1874, giving it a T-plan. In 1885, a freight house was added.{{cite web |title=National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania |url=https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp |publisher=CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System |format=Searchable database |access-date=2012-06-03 |archive-date=2005-09-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050914194407/https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp |url-status=dead }} Note: This includes {{cite web |author=Michael Havrischak |date=August 1985 |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Reading Railroad: Passenger Station (Tamaqua) |url={{NRHP-PA|H064456_01H.pdf}} |accessdate=2012-06-03 |format=PDF }}

=20th century=

The station ceased train operations in 1961 and was formally abandoned in 1981.{{cite book |last= Adams |first= Charles J. |title= Coal Country Ghosts, Legends and Lore |publisher= Exeter House Books |year= 2004 |isbn= 1-880683-20-2}}

In 1984, a local family offered to purchase the railroad station and proposed that the building would be turned into a museum, similar to Steamtown, U.S.A. in Scranton.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2987DF896840D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=RAIL STATION MAY BECOME A MUSEUM|date=October 11, 1984|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=B25 Local|accessdate=2008-11-14|archive-date=2012-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014213534/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB2987DF896840D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=dead}}

On December 26, 1985, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Reading Railroad Passenger Station—Tamaqua.

=21st century=

Following a $1.5 million restoration, the building was reopened in 2004 as a heritage center.{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://www.tamaquastation.com/history.html |access-date=February 5, 2010 |website=Tamaqua Railroad Station}}

In 2023, the station was featured on a USPS Forever stamp in a 5-stamp "Railroad Stations" series. The stamp illustrations were made by Down the Street Designs, and Derry Noyes served as the art director.{{Cite news |date=October 24, 2022 |title=U.S. Postal Service Reveals Stamps for 2023 |work=United States Postal Service |url=https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2022/1024-usps-reveals-stamps-for-2023.htm |access-date=October 26, 2022}}

References

External links

[http://www.tamaquastation.com/ Tamaqua Railroad Station]
[http://www.visitpa.com/things-to-do/attraction-details/index.aspx?id=218151 Visit Pennsylvania – Tamaqua Railroad Station]

Category:Former railway stations in Pennsylvania

Category:Former Reading Company stations

Category:Italianate architecture in Pennsylvania

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1874

Category:Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Category:Tamaqua, Pennsylvania

Category:Railway stations in the United States closed in 1961