Boyce station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Boyce Station
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East elevation and south profile, 2008
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| Location | Upper St. Clair, PA |
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| Nearest city | Pittsburgh |
| Built | ca. 1900 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001528 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
Boyce Station is an old train station in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. It sits where Boyce Road meets the train tracks. This station was built around 1900.
It was more than just a train stop. It also had a post office and a general store. This made it a busy center for the small community nearby. Over time, fewer trains used the line. Cars also became more popular for travel.
Because of these changes, the station was no longer needed. It became empty for a while. But in 1980, it was fixed up and brought back to life. Boyce Station is special because it's the only old train station in the Pittsburgh area that was also a local business hub. In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical sites.
Contents
What Does Boyce Station Look Like?
The Boyce Station building is shaped like a "T". It has a strong concrete block foundation. The building has two floors and is three sections wide. There's also a smaller, one-story part on the southwest side.
Roof and Porches
The roof is made of seamed tin and has a cross-gabled shape. This means it has two sloped sections that meet at a ridge. A flat porch, about 32 feet (10 meters) long, runs along the front of the building. This porch has a tin roof supported by four square wooden posts. Its floor rests on brick supports. There's also a smaller porch on the northwest side, made of similar materials.
Windows and Doors
All the windows and doors have flat wooden frames. They also have a special carved design with a shallow pointed top, called a pediment. Every window has shutters.
Inside the Station
Inside, both floors have three rooms each. Many of the original parts of these rooms are still there. The smaller section on the southwest side has an entrance area, a bathroom, and an office.
The Story of Boyce Station
Building a train line from Pittsburgh to Washington took many years. Finally, in 1871, trains started running. They carried both goods and passengers.
Busy Train Days
In the 1870s, coal, oil, and gas were found in Washington County. This made train traffic much busier. The railroad company, then called the Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati Railway, decided to improve its stations.
Around 1900, a second track was added to the line. This is when Boyce Station was built. The train business was very successful for many years.
Changes and Decline
However, by the mid-1900s, things started to change. Trucks began to carry more goods. Also, more people started using cars to travel in Western Pennsylvania. The last passenger train stopped at Boyce Station in 1952.
The train line changed owners several times. It was eventually owned by the Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad. This company runs shorter train lines.
Saving a Piece of History
The station building became run-down as train traffic decreased. But in 1980, a man named Roland Ramsay bought it. He was a business consultant and thought the station was a great place for his new company. He learned about the building's history. He then had it fixed up to look like it did in the past. He also successfully got it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. His company is still located there today.
