Xenia Station facts for kids
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Xenia Station is a special building in Xenia, Ohio, United States. It looks just like the old brick railroad station from the 1880s. The city of Xenia built this replica in 1998.
Today, Xenia Station is a fun place to visit. It has a museum about local history and a room for classes or meetings. There's also a tall observation tower called the Hub Lookout. Xenia Station is a central spot for five different rail trails. These are paths made from old railroad lines. Two of these trails are part of the bigger Ohio to Erie Trail. This trail will eventually connect Cincinnati to Cleveland.
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What You Can Find at Xenia Station
Xenia Station was designed in 1998 by Schooley Caldwell Architects. A local company built it for the city of Xenia. The station sits in a large city park that is about 9 acres (3.6 hectares). This park has lots of cool things for kids and families.
- Play equipment for fun
- Picnic tables and a shelter for meals
- Quiet nature areas to explore
- A splash pad to cool off
- A real caboose to see up close
- Parking for visitors
The land where Xenia Station now stands used to be a busy train yard. Inside the station building, the first floor has a museum. Here, you can see old items from the railroad days. The second floor is a space for classes or meetings.
Xenia Station is also a main meeting point for five regional rail trails. These trails are popular with bicyclists and hikers. The building offers restrooms, vending machines, and water for everyone using the park. There is a big map of all the trails. The Hub Lookout tower lets you climb a spiral staircase for amazing views of the trails.
Xenia's Railroad Past
Xenia was once a very important place for trains. As late as 1960, three different train lines ran through the city.
- The Baltimore & Ohio line went between Washington Court House and Dayton.
- The Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) Little Miami line connected Cincinnati and Springfield.
- The PRR's main line ran all the way from Pittsburgh to St. Louis. Amtrak used this line for its National Limited train until 1979.
By the early 1980s, these train lines were not used as much. Eventually, all of them were closed down and the tracks were removed. The PRR Pittsburgh-St. Louis main line was owned by Conrail after 1976. It stayed in place until the late 1980s before being taken apart.
Exploring the Rail Trails
The way the three old train lines crossed in Xenia created six paths, like spokes on a wheel. Xenia Station is right in the middle of these paths. Five of these six paths have now been turned into rail trails.
The only path that did not become a trail was the Baltimore & Ohio line going west to Dayton. This was because it ran very close to another PRR line that went to Dayton.
Here are the five trails that start from Xenia Station, listed clockwise from the north:
Northern Trails
The northern part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail starts in Xenia. It goes to Yellow Springs and then on to Springfield. This trail follows the path of the old PRR line to Springfield.
Northeastern Trails
The Prairie Grass Trail is part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. It runs from Xenia to Cedarville and then to London and beyond. This was once the PRR Pittsburgh-St. Louis main line going east.
Eastern Trails
The Xenia-Jamestown Connector is planned to run from Xenia to Jamestown. There is a small gap in the trail right now, from Xenia Station to Jasper Road. This trail follows the old Baltimore & Ohio line.
Southern Trails
The southern part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail is also part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. It goes from Xenia to Milford and continues further. This trail uses the old PRR line that went to Cincinnati.
Western Trails
The Creekside Trail is known as the Creekside Recreation Trail in Montgomery County. It runs from Xenia all the way to Dayton. This trail follows the old PRR Pittsburgh-St. Louis main line that went to Dayton.
More to See
- Columbus and Xenia Railroad
- Little Miami Railroad
