Lee Station
Also known as: Lee Depot; Sullivan Station
Why it's listed
Lee Station is a railroad depot on Railroad Street in Lee, Massachusetts, built in 1893 by builders Thomas Heaphy and Nelson Martin. The 1½-story wood-frame building has clapboard siding laid in herringbone and horizontal patterns, a side-gable roof and a three-sided bay for the station agent's office. Inside are yellow pine matchboard walls with walnut trim. It was a combination station handling both passengers and freight for more than 75 years. Quarried marble, milk, livestock, tobacco and ice moved through it, and it received wealthy estate owners and summer visitors from New York City until passenger service stopped in 1969. The design reflects Housatonic Railroad engineers' shift from picturesque ornament toward passenger comfort and freight efficiency. The building now operates as a restaurant with a bar, and a relocated caboose beside it is counted as noncontributing. It was listed for its local significance in transportation and architecture, with a period of significance of 1893 to 1960.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is a highly used combination passenger and freight depot that served Lee for more than 75 years and supported local commerce and industry. It was the arrival point for wealthy estate owners and summer visitors from New York City. Its design reflects the work of Housatonic Railroad engineers around the turn of the century.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 10001067, listed December 27, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 109 Railroad St, Lee |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | December 27, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10001067 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Heaphy, Nelson Martin, builders |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne (Queen Anne/Stick Style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Houses a restaurant (Sullivan Station Restaurant) with a bar and kitchen; passenger service ended in 1969. Eaves overhangs and passenger shelters have been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.30792, -73.25218 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 10001067.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894046
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.