New Milford station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Milford
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The former New Milford station in 2010
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| Owned by | ConnDOT | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Housatonic Railroad | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Proposed services | |||||||||||
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New Milford Railroad Station
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| Location | 11 Railroad Street, New Milford, Connecticut | ||||||||||
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) | ||||||||||
| Built | 1886 | ||||||||||
| Architect | Housatonic Railroad Company | ||||||||||
| Architectural style | Victorian | ||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 84001062 | ||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | March 1, 1984 | ||||||||||
The New Milford station is an old train station located on Railroad Street in New Milford, Connecticut. It was built in 1886 by the Housatonic Railroad company. This station was very important for New Milford. It helped the town become a busy place for tourists and businesses. Trains used to carry passengers here until 1970. Today, the building is home to the Greater New Milford chamber of commerce, which helps local businesses. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 because of its historical importance.
A Look Back: The Station's Story
The New Milford station was built in 1886. This was when the Housatonic Railroad was very busy. At the same time, New Milford was growing fast. It was a popular spot for tourists, especially in the summer. The town was also a main center for processing tobacco from the Housatonic River valley.
Later, a bigger company called the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad took over the Housatonic Railroad. Passenger train service, especially for summer tourists, continued into the 1950s. However, fewer people rode the trains after that. Passenger service finally stopped in 1970. The station building closed in the late 1960s and was empty for a while. But it has since been fixed up. Now, the New Milford chamber of commerce uses the building.
The station building is on the west side of downtown New Milford. Railroad Street is to its east, and the train tracks are to its west. It is a long, narrow building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and wooden siding. The front of the building, facing the street, has windows and doors that are evenly spaced. There is a part that sticks out in the middle. On the side facing the tracks, there is a similar part that sticks out. This part used to be where people bought train tickets.
The roof has wide edges that hang over the sides. These edges are held up by large, triangle-shaped supports. These supports have fancy, cut-out wooden designs. The roof edge on the track side is even longer. It provides shelter over the passenger platform. This part is held up by original metal posts.
Future Plans: New Train Service?
The Metro-North Railroad, which is run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), has suggested extending its Danbury Branch line. This extension would reach the New Milford Station. They are also thinking about making the line electric. There is no set date for when this might happen.
In September 2020, there was more interest in having commuter train service. People in Greater Danbury and Litchfield County wanted more train options. Because of this, the United States Department of Transportation gave a $400,000 grant. This money went to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments. The grant was for studying ways to improve the Danbury Branch line. It also aimed to create a plan for extending service north. This plan could include building new stations in North Danbury, Brookfield, and New Milford.
