Simsbury station facts for kids
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Simsbury Railroad Depot
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Simsbury Railroad Depot
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| Location | Railroad Avenue at Station Street, Simsbury, Connecticut |
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| Built | 1875 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Part of | Simsbury Center Historic District (ID96000356) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001997 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 26, 1976 |
| Designated CP | April 12, 1996 |
The Simsbury station is a historic train station in the center of Simsbury, Connecticut. It was built in 1875. This building is a great example of a train station designed in the Italianate style.
On March 26, 1976, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was called the Simsbury Railroad Depot then. Today, a restaurant named "Plan B" is located inside the old station.
What Does the Station Look Like?
The old Simsbury Railroad Depot is on the east side of downtown Simsbury. You can find it on Railroad Street, between Station Street and Phelps Lane. It is a long, narrow building made of brick. It has only one floor.
The building faces west toward the road. The old train tracks were on its east side. The front of the building has six sections. Each section is set back a little. They have decorative brickwork at the top. Brick pillars stand between these sections. When it was first built, there were three windows, two doors for people, and one large door for freight. These parts have been changed for the restaurant now.
A Look Back: The Station's History
Simsbury first had a way to transport goods in 1826. This was through the Farmington Canal. The canal stopped working in 1846. A railroad line was built over its path in 1850. This train line connected New Haven, Connecticut to places further north along the Connecticut River.
Another train line came through Simsbury in 1871. This line connected Hartford, Connecticut to Albany, New York. Records show a station was on this spot in 1873. However, documents from the Connecticut Western Railway say the building we see today was built in 1875. The way it was designed is quite special for that time. Most stations built back then were made of wood. They usually had a different style called Gothic Revival.
