Highland Falls Railroad Depot
Encyclopedia
The Highland Falls Railroad Depot in Highland Falls
, New York
, is a former West Shore Railroad
train station
built in the 1880s. It was later used by the New York Central Railroad
. Since the mid-20th century it has been used as a residence; the tracks are still used as a freight line.
It is, along with the Milton station
to the north in Ulster County
, one of the few remaining original West Shore Railroad passenger stations. Its Shingle Style architecture is the most sophisticated example of that mode in the village. In 1982 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
run from the property.
The building itself is a two-story frame
building sided in two types of shingles on the second story and clapboard
below, with wooden courses
dividing the different sidings and then running at water table
level on the first story. The pyramidal roof is pierced by a central brick chimney and three gable
d dormer windows. Their ridges, as well as the roof, have decorative crocket
s.
A central pavilion projects from the north. On the east a shed roof shelters the former platform both north and south of the building. Two small lean-tos are on the north and west.
. The station's highly decorative use of the Shingle Style is the best example of it in the village.
Shortly before 1950 all service, passenger and freight, to the station was terminated. At that time it was converted
into a residence. Most of the train station's features were retained, with the two lean-to extensions added at that time.
In the 2000s the village was negotiating with the owners to buy the property and preserve the only public access to the river within its limits. After those broke down in early 2006, the village applied for and received a $350,000 state grant
. The owners say they will not sell to the village, who they argued had bungled the deal.
Highland Falls, New York
Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,678 at the 2000 census. The village was founded in 1906...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is a former West Shore Railroad
West Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad from Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City, north along the west shore of the river to Albany, New York and then west to Buffalo...
train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
built in the 1880s. It was later used by the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
. Since the mid-20th century it has been used as a residence; the tracks are still used as a freight line.
It is, along with the Milton station
Milton Railroad Station
The Milton Railroad Station is located on Dock Road at the Hudson River in Milton, New York, United States. It is a frame rectangular structure built for the West Shore Railroad in the late 19th century....
to the north in Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
, one of the few remaining original West Shore Railroad passenger stations. Its Shingle Style architecture is the most sophisticated example of that mode in the village. In 1982 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Building
The station building is located west of the tracks, currently used by CSX's Hudson River Subdivision, at the foot of Station Hill Road where it descends from downtown Highland Falls to the river. It is on a 1.2 acres (4,856.2 m²) sliver-shaped lot with no other development nearby and high stony bluffs to the west. To the east are the docks of a marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
run from the property.
The building itself is a two-story frame
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
building sided in two types of shingles on the second story and clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
below, with wooden courses
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
dividing the different sidings and then running at water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
level on the first story. The pyramidal roof is pierced by a central brick chimney and three gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d dormer windows. Their ridges, as well as the roof, have decorative crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
s.
A central pavilion projects from the north. On the east a shed roof shelters the former platform both north and south of the building. Two small lean-tos are on the north and west.
History
The railroad was built through the area in 1882, and the station first appears in maps not long afterwards, in 1891. Many of the workers who had built the railroad and the station settled in nearby neighborhoods, swelling the population of what had primarily been a summer resort community and the nearest town to the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. The station's highly decorative use of the Shingle Style is the best example of it in the village.
Shortly before 1950 all service, passenger and freight, to the station was terminated. At that time it was converted
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
into a residence. Most of the train station's features were retained, with the two lean-to extensions added at that time.
In the 2000s the village was negotiating with the owners to buy the property and preserve the only public access to the river within its limits. After those broke down in early 2006, the village applied for and received a $350,000 state grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
. The owners say they will not sell to the village, who they argued had bungled the deal.