Lenox Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1902 after an earlier depot burned, this 1 1/2-story railroad station in Lenox, Massachusetts, is finished in stucco with decorative half-timbering in the Tudor Revival manner. It measures eighty-two by thirty-two feet and has a hipped roof with braced wooden brackets, a porte cochere on the west front, and covered passenger shelters at both ends. Inside, the waiting room keeps a brick fireplace, wainscotting and plaster, though a drop ceiling was added later. The station served the Stockbridge and Pittsfield Railroad and trolley lines, including a spur nicknamed the Millionaires' Trolley, carrying wealthy summer residents to their Berkshire estates. Passenger service ended in 1958, and the building is now in neglected condition. It is considered important locally as a nearly unaltered survivor of the town's resort era and as a rare rural depot using stucco and half-timbering. James Clifford's Sons of Lenox were the builders. A railway museum plans to restore it.
Significance in brief: The station is cited under Criterion A for its link to Lenox's growth as a highland summer resort, when wealthy vacationers arrived by rail and trolley. Under Criterion C, it is a well-preserved, rare example of Tudor Revival rural railway design in its region. It is also the only station built by the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company found to use stucco and half-timbering.
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 89000225, listed June 16, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Housatonic St. and Willow Creek Rd., Lenox |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | June 16, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000225 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1902-1920 |
| Architect / builder | James Clifford's Sons, Lenox, Mass. (builders); no designer identified on the 1902 plans, which bear the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad name |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revival/Tudor; Other/Half-timbering |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in neglected condition and not used as a passenger terminal since 1958; part is used for storage by an adjacent construction company. A railway museum has recently acquired it and plans restoration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35041, -73.24517 (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 89000225.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6523184
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.