Cornwall Bridge station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cornwall Bridge Railroad Station
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View of south facing elevation; 31 March 31, 2012
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Junction of Poppleswamp Brook Road and Kent Road, Cornwall, Connecticut |
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| Architectural style | Stick/Eastlake |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001313 |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1972 |
The Cornwall Bridge station is an old train station located in Cornwall, Connecticut. It's a cool example of old-time architecture.
Contents
The Cornwall Bridge Train Station
This historic building once served as a busy stop for trains. It was built a long time ago, between 1865 and 1875. The station was made by the Housatonic Railroad company. It has a special design called "Stick style." This means it has lots of decorative wooden parts.
A Look Back: The Station's History
Over the years, the station changed owners several times. In 1892, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad took over the Housatonic Railroad. This meant they also owned the Cornwall Bridge station. Later, in 1969, the New Haven Railroad became part of the Penn Central Railroad. Sadly, Penn Central faced financial trouble and went bankrupt by 1970.
Even though the railroad company was struggling, the station was recognized as important. On April 26, 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect special buildings in the United States.
Saving the Station: Restoration Efforts
After Penn Central went bankrupt, they decided to sell the station. In 1971, Marion and David Williams bought it at an auction. They lived in Amherst, Massachusetts and wanted to save the old building.
The Williamses hired a local company to help fix up the station. They worked hard to make it look like it did originally. While scraping off old paint, they found the original "Cornwall Bridge" sign letters. These letters had been hidden for many years! The owners who came after them changed the paint colors again. They also painted over the original sign.
The Williamses also replaced the old roof. It was made of slate and was falling apart. They found a special company that could make a new roof. This new roof was made of pressed metal, just like roofs used in the 1800s. They even found the original metal presses in a warehouse far away in Texas! Since then, this type of metal roof has become popular for other old buildings.
The Station's Later Life
For a while, the Cornwall Bridge station was a weekend home for the Williams family. They used it until 1985. After that, they sold it to a film producer from New York City. Since then, the station has had a few different owners. It remains a unique and important part of Cornwall's history.
