Oberlin station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oberlin Lake Shore And Michigan Southern Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Eastern end and southern side
Location in Ohio Show map of Ohio Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Depot Park, Oberlin, Ohio
Area	3 acres (1.2 ha)
Built	1867 (1867)
Architectural style	Italianate, Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	79001888
Added to NRHP	March 2, 1979

The Oberlin Lake Shore And Michigan Southern Station is an old train station in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. It was built a long time ago, right after the American Civil War. Today, it's a great example of how old buildings can be given a new life. This special building is now known as a historic site.

A Unique Building Style

This old train station is made of weatherboarding (wooden boards) and sits on a sandstone base. It mixes two cool building styles: Gothic Revival and Italianate.

In the mid-1800s, train stations in northern Ohio often used the Gothic Revival style. After the Civil War ended in 1865, the Italianate style became very popular. It's rare to find a train station that combines both styles, especially in Lorain County.

History of the Station

Oberlin got its first railroad in 1852, built by the Toledo, Norwalk, and Cleveland Railroad. About 15 years later, in 1867, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad built the station we see today. It was placed along their main east-west line on the south side of Oberlin.

The railroad was super important for the town and Oberlin College. Before trains, students and travelers had to rely on Lake Erie boats, which couldn't run in bad weather. The new all-weather train line made travel much easier and helped the college and community grow a lot.

In 1914, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad became part of the much bigger New York Central Railroad. However, the New York Central only used the station for a few decades. By the 1970s, the station was empty and quiet. Instead of tearing it down, local people decided to save it. They turned the land around it into a park, and the station itself was fixed up. It now serves as offices for the local Head Start program, which helps young children.

Why It's Historic

In 1979, the Oberlin Lake Shore And Michigan Southern Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It earned this honor because of its special architecture and its important role in local history.

Even though some changes were made when it was renovated for Head Start, the station still looks much like it did originally. The only big difference is that the train tracks that once ran next to it are gone. This station is one of the best-preserved old train stations in the area. It shows how railroad building styles changed in the mid-1800s. It's also one of twelve historic places in and around Oberlin listed on the National Register.