Pennsylvania Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Overlooking the northern end of Chautauqua Lake in Mayville, New York, this brick railroad station was built in 1925 after fire destroyed an earlier depot in 1923. William H. Cookman designed it under the direction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Philadelphia office, and Lyman S. Peck of Pittsburgh served as general contractor. The building measures 117 by 29 feet and has a hipped roof of red glazed tile, gabled dormers, wide eaves on wooden brackets and brick laid in Flemish and running bond. Inside, the waiting room, ticket office, baggage room and freight room survive with oak trim and the telegrapher's equipment. The station mattered to the village as a transfer point between trains and lake steamboats carrying visitors to Chautauqua Institution and area hotels. It is the only depot left on the old railroad line between Brocton and Corry. Passenger service ended in 1949. The village bought the building in 1968, and it now houses a museum and offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinguished, highly intact example of an early twentieth century small-town railroad depot, with its hipped roof, wide bracketed eaves, red glazed tile roof and original interior. It is also tied to Mayville's growth as a rail and steamboat transfer point serving Chautauqua Lake and Chautauqua Institution. It is the only remaining depot on the old Pennsylvania Railroad line between Brocton, New York and Corry, Pennsylvania.
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 93000680, listed August 6, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Water St., Mayville |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | August 6, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000680 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1949 |
| Architect / builder | William H. Cookman, Architect; Lyman S. Peck, Builder, Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| Architectural style | Early Twentieth Century |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Village of Mayville since 1968; used as a museum and offices. Passenger service ended in 1949 and the railroad abandoned the building in 1950. |
| Acreage | 4.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.24523, -79.49496 (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 93000680.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7164050
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.