New Jersey Avenue Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington Depot
New Jersey Avenue Station |
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| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | |
The New Jersey Avenue Station in the late 1800s.
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| Location | New Jersey Avenue and C Street, NW, Washington, DC United States |
| Coordinates | 38°53′36.7″N 77°0′36.7″W / 38.893528°N 77.010194°W |
| Owned by | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Operated by | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Line(s) | Washington Branch (1851–1907) Metropolitan Branch (1873–1907) |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | At-grade |
| History | |
| Opened | April 9, 1851 |
| Closed | October 26, 1907 (lines moved to Union Station) |
| Location | |
 Washington Depot
New Jersey Avenue Station Location in Washington, D.C.
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The Washington Depot or New Jersey Avenue Station was an important train station in Washington, D.C.. It was located near the Capitol Building. People also called it the B&O Depot because the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad used it. This station was open from April 1851 until October 26, 1907. It closed when a bigger, new station called Union Station opened. During the American Civil War, the New Jersey Avenue Station was a very busy place. Hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers left from here. President Abraham Lincoln arrived at this station in 1861 for his inauguration. After he was assassinated in 1865, his body and his son "Willie" Lincoln began their final journey from this station to Illinois.
Contents
History of the Washington Depot
Early Train Service in Washington
In 1831, the state of Maryland allowed the B&O Railroad to build a train line to Washington, D.C. This new line was called the Washington Branch. Construction started in 1833, and the line opened on August 25, 1835. The first train station in Washington was at Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 2nd Street NW.
Building the New Jersey Avenue Station
By 1850, city leaders wanted to move the old B&O train station. On May 31, 1850, the Washington City Council agreed to move the station. They set some rules for the B&O Railway Company.
The B&O had to:
- Choose a new spot for the station on the east side of New Jersey Avenue.
- Build a new station within 12 months. This new station needed to be good for both passengers and cargo.
- Pay $8,000 to improve nearby streets like C and D Streets NW.
- Pay any taxes they owed on their property in the city.
In return, the city allowed the B&O to keep using steam trains on their tracks for 30 more years. The railway company agreed to these terms on June 22, 1850. The new station was built at the corner of New Jersey Avenue and C Street NW.
Opening Day and Important Arrivals
The New Jersey Avenue Station officially opened on April 9, 1851. The B&O Railway Company announced that all trains would now go to this new station instead of the old one. At that time, about 150,000 passengers traveled between Washington and Baltimore each year.
On March 2, 1857, President-Elect James Buchanan arrived at the New Jersey Avenue Station. He came to Washington just two days before he became president. His niece, Harriet Lane, who would serve as his First Lady of the United States, was with him.
Abraham Lincoln's Journeys
On February 23, 1861, President-Elect Abraham Lincoln arrived at the New Jersey Avenue station. He was coming from Baltimore for his inauguration as president. Lincoln had to travel secretly because there was a possible assassination plot against him. His security team, led by Allan Pinkerton, had found out about the danger. The city was on high alert, and Lincoln arrived in disguise for extra safety.
On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated while watching a play. This happened just five days after the American Civil War was ending. The country was in deep sadness. Lincoln's body was first placed in the White House, then moved to the Capitol Rotunda. About 40,000 people came to pay their respects.
On April 21, 1865, early in the morning, Lincoln's casket was taken from the Capitol. It was loaded onto a special hearse and then brought to the Washington Depot. Many important people, including members of the Cabinet and senators, followed the procession.
The casket was placed in a special train car. This car was built for the President and other important people. It was decorated in black for mourning.
Lincoln's son, Willie Lincoln, had died in 1862 at age 11. His body was also brought to the Depot on April 21, 1865. Both father and son's caskets were placed on a platform draped in black, then put into the same train car.
Two locomotives were used for the funeral train. They were also decorated in black. At 8:00 am, the train slowly left the Washington Depot. It was heading for Baltimore, Maryland, and then on a long journey to Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln's final resting place.
The Metropolitan Branch Line
In 1866, the B&O Railroad started building a second major line from the New Jersey Avenue Depot. This new line was called the Metropolitan Branch. It took several years to complete and finally opened in 1873. Before this line, travelers had to go to Relay or Baltimore to connect to other B&O trains. The Metropolitan Branch allowed direct service from Washington to the Midwest. This line also operated until 1907.
Closing the Station
In 1907, both the New Jersey Avenue Depot and another station, the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, closed down. All train services moved to the new Union Station. The B&O Railway started running trains from Union Station on October 26, 1907.
What the Station Looked Like
The New Jersey Avenue Station was a beautiful building designed in the Italianate style. It was located on Capitol Hill. The front of the station was 106 feet (32 m) tall and had a four-sided clock tower that rose 100 feet (30 m) high. The station building itself was 68 feet (21 m) deep.
Inside, there was a lovely hall where passengers walked to reach their trains. The station had a B&O ticket office, a freight office for cargo, and separate waiting rooms for ladies and gentlemen. Just north of the station was a large building for train cars, which was 60 feet (18 m) wide and 330 feet (100 m) long. Its roof was made of iron and supported by strong granite pillars.
The station offered all Baltimore & Ohio train services in and out of Washington. At first, passengers traveled to Baltimore and then connected to other B&O destinations, like Newark, New Jersey, or Chicago, Illinois. After the Metropolitan Branch opened in 1873, passengers could travel directly from the New Jersey Avenue Station to the Midwest.
How the Train Lines Changed Over Time
Here's how the B&O train lines changed from the first station in 1835 to when all railways moved to Union Station in 1907.
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1835–1851: The first station at Pennsylvania Avenue.
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1851–1873: The New Jersey Avenue Station is now open.
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1873–1907: The Metropolitan Branch line is added, expanding service.
