President Street Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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President Street Station
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President Street Station in 1856
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 Location in Baltimore
Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | President Street at Fleet Street (southeast corner) Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1849 |
| Architect | Parker, George A.; Isaac Ridgeway Trimble; Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival, Italianate, Greek Revival |
| Restored | 1996-1997 |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001229 |
| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1992 |
The President Street Station in Baltimore, Maryland, is an old train station and railroad building. It was built in 1849 and opened in February 1850. This station saw some of the first fighting of the American Civil War (1861-1865). It was a very important train connection during the war. Today, it is the oldest big-city train station still standing in the United States. After a nine-year effort to save it and a year of repairs, it reopened in April 1997. It now holds the Baltimore Civil War Museum.
Contents
The Station's Story: A Look Back
The Baltimore and Port Deposit Rail Road (B&PD) started in 1832. It finished a train line from Baltimore to the Susquehanna River in 1837. The end of this train line in Baltimore was on the east side of the Inner Harbor. The B&PD trains could connect with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). The B&O was the oldest railroad in the country, started in 1827.
At first, passengers had to switch to horse-drawn cars to travel between the two train lines. This was because the city did not allow loud locomotives in that area. By 1838, people could travel by train from Philadelphia to Baltimore. From there, they could connect to the B&O to go west to Ohio or south to Washington, D.C..
Building the Station
The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) began building its own station in 1849. It was located at President Street and Canton Avenue. The area included train yards, a roundhouse for engines, shops, and warehouses. The station, built in the Greek Revival style, opened on February 18, 1850. It had a brick main building with a unique arched roof. There was also a long, arched train shed over the tracks. In 1852, the PW&B added a similar freight building next to the passenger station.
A Key Spot in the Civil War
On February 23, 1861, Abraham Lincoln, who was about to become president, passed through this station. He was on his way to his inauguration. He secretly switched trains here to avoid a possible attack in Baltimore.
The station was also part of the Baltimore riot of 1861. This happened on April 19, 1861. Soldiers from Massachusetts were traveling through Baltimore on their way to Washington, D.C.. They were attacked by a large group of people who supported the Southern states. Several people, including four soldiers, were killed, and many were hurt. This event was one of the first violent clashes of the Civil War.
Changes Over Time
In 1873, the Union Railroad of Baltimore built new tracks. These tracks connected the PW&B line to the Northern Central Railway. This new connection went through the Union Tunnel to a new station in northern Baltimore. This new station, later called Pennsylvania Station, mostly took over passenger service.
President Street Station continued to be used for freight trains until the 1940s. It did serve some passenger trains until 1911. In 1913, after heavy snow damaged the original train shed, a new, shorter wooden shed was built.
After the Trains Left
After its railroad days, the President Street Station was used as a warehouse. The train shed was destroyed by fire by 1970, leaving only the main building. The building was left empty. In 1979, the City of Baltimore bought the building. They planned to tear it down to make way for a new highway, but the highway was never built. In 1989, the station's wooden arched roof fell in during a snowstorm.
The Station as a Museum
In the 1990s, a group called the Friends of the President Street Station worked to save the building. They partnered with the city and other groups. They raised money to rebuild and fix up the station. It reopened in April 1997 as the "Baltimore Civil War Museum." The B&O Railroad Museum helped with this project.
The museum was run by different groups over the years. It closed for a short time in 2007 because of money problems. Later, it reopened on weekends with volunteers helping to run it.
The Future of the Museum
The future of this historic building is still being discussed. In 2009, the City of Baltimore wanted to make the old station a landmark. This would protect its outside appearance. They also wanted ideas for businesses to use parts of the building. The Friends of the President Street Station want it to stay a museum. They hope the National Park Service will take it over.
In 2015, U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin suggested a bill. This bill would allow the National Park Service to study if the station should become part of the national park system. As of 2017, the Friends of the President Street Station continue to operate the museum.
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. MD-8, "Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, President Street Station, President & Fleet Streets, Baltimore, Independent City, MD", 7 photos, 4 measured drawings, 5 data pages, 1 photo caption page
- President Street Station, Baltimore City, including photo dated 1989, at Maryland Historical Trust
