Connecticut River Railroad Station
Encyclopedia
Connecticut River Railroad Station is a former railway station located between Lyman, Bowers, and Mosher Streets in Holyoke
, Massachusetts
. The station was part of the Connecticut River Railroad
line and was built in 1883.
Designed by the American
architect Henry Hobson Richardson
, this was one of the last in his series of Northeastern
railroad stations. In 1965, the station was converted into a mechanical shop by Perry's Auto Parts, but was left vacant in recent years. Though much of the external structure remains intact, the building is littered with graffiti and falling into disrepair. In 2004, this structure (along with Richardson's house in Brooklyn, MA) was cited as one of the ten most endangered historic sites in Massachusetts.
The building was purchased from a private owner by the City of Holyoke's Gas & Electric department in May of 2009, but plans to repair the building did not at the time include allowing its use as a rail depot. In early 2010, Dana Roscoe of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission announced that the station may soon return to passenger rail service in part due to a major federal grant to rebuild the adjoining tracks.
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The station was part of the Connecticut River Railroad
Connecticut River Railroad
The Connecticut River Railroad was formed in 1845 by the merger of the Northampton and Springfield Railroad with the unbuilt Greenfield and Northampton Railroad....
line and was built in 1883.
Designed by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
architect Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
, this was one of the last in his series of Northeastern
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
railroad stations. In 1965, the station was converted into a mechanical shop by Perry's Auto Parts, but was left vacant in recent years. Though much of the external structure remains intact, the building is littered with graffiti and falling into disrepair. In 2004, this structure (along with Richardson's house in Brooklyn, MA) was cited as one of the ten most endangered historic sites in Massachusetts.
The building was purchased from a private owner by the City of Holyoke's Gas & Electric department in May of 2009, but plans to repair the building did not at the time include allowing its use as a rail depot. In early 2010, Dana Roscoe of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission announced that the station may soon return to passenger rail service in part due to a major federal grant to rebuild the adjoining tracks.