Xenia Station facts for kids
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Xenia Station is a cool building in Xenia, Ohio, that looks exactly like an old train station from the 1880s. It's not the original, but a special copy built in 1998. You can find it at 150 Miami Avenue.
The city of Xenia built this station to be a fun place for everyone. It has a museum about local history and a room for classes or meetings. There's also a tall tower called the Hub Lookout where you can see far away! Xenia Station is super important because it's the main spot for five different bike and walking paths called rail trails. Two of these trails are part of a much bigger path, the Ohio to Erie Trail, which will eventually go all the way from Cincinnati to Cleveland.
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What Can You Do at Xenia Station?
Xenia Station was designed in 1998 and built especially for the city. It sits in a big park that's about 9 acres (3.6 hectares) in size. The park has lots of fun things to do! You'll find play equipment, picnic tables, and even a splash pad to cool off. There are also nature areas and a cool old caboose to check out.
Inside the station, the first floor has a museum. Here, you can learn about the history of Xenia and see old railroad items. The second floor has a room that can be used for classes or meetings. This building is also a great stop for people using the trails. It has restrooms, vending machines for snacks, and water fountains for bicyclists and hikers.
One of the best parts is the Hub Lookout. This tower has a spiral staircase that takes you up high. From the top, you get an amazing view of all the rail trails spreading out from the station. There's also a big map inside that shows you where all the trails go.
Xenia's Railroad Past
Long ago, Xenia was a very busy place for trains. As late as 1960, three different train lines ran right through the city. Imagine how much noise and excitement there must have been!
- The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad had a line that went between Washington Court House and Dayton.
- The Pennsylvania Railroad (often called PRR) had a line connecting Cincinnati and Springfield.
- The PRR also had a major line that stretched from Pittsburgh all the way to St. Louis. Even Amtrak, a modern train company, used this line for a train called the National Limited until 1979.
By the early 1980s, trains didn't use these lines as much. Eventually, the tracks were taken apart. The big PRR line from Pittsburgh to St. Louis stayed until the late 1980s, but then it was gone too.
Discover the Rail Trails
Because three different train lines crossed in Xenia, it created six paths, like spokes on a wheel, with Xenia Station right in the middle. Today, five of these old train paths have been turned into rail trails for walking and biking!
The only path that didn't become a trail was the one going west to Dayton. This was because another train line already went to Dayton, so they didn't need two trails going the same way.
Here are the five trails you can explore, starting from the north:
North: Little Miami Scenic Trail
This part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail goes from Xenia to Yellow Springs and then on to Springfield. It used to be the old PRR line that went to Springfield.
Northeast: Prairie Grass Trail
The Prairie Grass Trail is part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. It runs from Xenia to Cedarville and then to London and even further! This was once the PRR line that went east towards Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
East: Xenia-Jamestown Connector
The Xenia-Jamestown Connector will eventually go from Xenia to Jamestown. Right now, there's a small part missing between Xenia Station and Jasper Road. This trail follows the old Baltimore & Ohio line that went to Chillicothe.
South: Little Miami Scenic Trail
This southern part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail is also part of the Ohio to Erie Trail. It goes from Xenia to Milford and beyond. This was the old PRR line that led to Cincinnati.
West: Creekside Trail
The Creekside Trail, also known as the Creekside Recreation Trail in Montgomery County, goes from Xenia all the way to Dayton. This was another part of the old PRR line that went to Dayton.
Images for kids
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The replica building in 2009
