Union Depot Penn Central Station, North Canaan Connecticut
- Categories:
- Connecticut
- Railroad Facility
- Passenger Station
North Canaan, although a small town, was an important town to railroads because it came at the junction of the Connecticut Western Railroad and the Housatonic Railroad; these were later known, respectively, as the Central New England, which ran from Hartford to Poughkeepsie, and the Berkshire Division of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, later the Penn Central.
An article in Canaan's newspaper, "Connecticut Western News", on December 6th 1872, said of the station: "The new Union Depot was completed on December 2nd 1872. It is a grand structure indeed … The depot, so complete and elegant in every feature, was designed by Chief Engineer Shunk. The carpentry was under the supervision of G.H. Bundy of Lakeville, a general contractor, cabinetmaker, and maker of coffins. The masonry was done by Kibmey, of Canaan." The station is done in a Victorian style, but it is not typical of the usual Victorian depots, so commonly built at this time, as the railroads were booming. The Canaan Station is distinctive for its graceful lines, the interesting and well-integrated tower, and, of course, its size. The town was very proud of its new station. Wonderful apple pies were baked there and sold to passengers by Maggie Reilly, who became famous in the early 1900's as a result of the praise of Ernestine Schumann-Hieink, the German opera star. James B. Rutledge, who owned the Canfield Inn, across the street from the station, recalled the stops made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his way home to Hyde Park.
Passenger service was discontinued in April, 1971. Since then only freight has gone through Canaan.
Building Description
The Canaan Station, formally known as Union Depot, was built by the, Housatonic and Connecticut Western Railroads in 1872. There are two long wings at right angles to each other, each on a different railroad line. Each wing is ninety feet long, has spacious platforms, and a wide, protective roof. The building is two stories high, and at the southwestern corner, which forms the junction of the two railroads, is a large tower, with rooms for the accommodation of the telegraph operators. The second story has several rooms, once suitable for family occupation. In one of the larger of these rooms is a semi-circular counter, twenty feet long, designed for a lunch-room or "Twenty minutes for dinner."
The exterior has board and batten siding. The roofs of the wings are low hipped, and each has a chimney, indicating the comfort once available. Graceful arches top the large sliding doors on the first level and the numerous windows on the second. The eaves extend more than a foot and have brackets and drops, neatly finishing the roof line. Windows are of many Sizes; mostly they are double-hung and round-headed, of 4/4 or 5/6 sash on the second level, and 6/6, 4/4, or 6/3 on the first. Also on the first level are little round windows with panes, and over the larger waiting room doors are 3-pane lights, slightly arched.
The station is now unused except for a small amount of freight traffic, but it has remained untouched. The old benches with curved backs and the ticket window are still there. The interior is closed, with only a few rooms on the south side occupied. Some space is rented to a grain company and to REA.
