Friday, April 23, 2021

Historic Station in Pennsylvania

Continuing on the theme of gifted post cards from a friend... This one is of a train station in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. This is some historic information about the station taken from this website: https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/elizabethtown-pa-elt/ The Elizabethtown depot first opened to the public in 1915, and was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). Strategically sited with entrances on the north and south sides of the embankment that supports the railroad right-of-way, the station easily served residents of the Masonic Homes and the town. Visually, the depot clearly references the architecture of the nearby Masonic Grand Lodge Hall which was designed in the Collegiate Gothic style by the well-known Philadelphia-based firm of Zantzinger, Borie & Medary. The cornerstone of the Grand Lodge Hall was laid in 1911; two years later, the architects were hired by the PRR to draw up plans for an improved passenger station. The one story structure features a steep, gabled slate roof and a tall chimney. Walls of rough Holmesburg granite are laid in a random ashlar pattern that is accented by smooth-cut Indiana limestone used for window and door trim as well as coping. The passenger waiting room, which features warm, rich wood paneling and decorative roof trusses, is brightened by sunlight that enters through a tall window on the west façade. Passengers exit the station to access staircases to the platforms, as well as the tunnel to the south side of the embankment. The station site also includes a free-standing tower that houses an elevator to transport passengers between the station grounds and the platforms located on the top of the embankment. Wikipedia adds this information to the mix: Because of the construction of an embankment at nearby Bainbridge Street, the Pennsylvania Railroad was forced to build a new station at West High Street in 1900. After 15 years, the Pennsylvania replaced the station. The post card was mailed on March 29, 1915. This makes me wonder if this isn't a picture of the first station that was built at Elizabethtown. So, it is either a historic picture of a station that is no more, or it is a historic first picture of the new station.
I have no information from the back of the post card about either the publisher or the printer. But, here is a scan of the back just in case someone is interested.

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If you know anything about the history of the cards, the trains or the locations, please add them.