Delaware & Hudson Railroad Depot
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 by George R. Sherman of the mining firm Witherbee, Sherman and Company, this small stone railroad depot sits on Park Place in Port Henry, near the Lake Champlain shore. It has dark, rough-faced masonry walls, a gable roof, a polygonal stone tower at the center of the front and a shingled upper half story. Inside, the south half keeps its oak wainscoting, waiting room and ticket opening. The depot replaced an earlier wooden station and served a line that moved iron ore and iron products from Moriah's furnaces, and later summer tourists. It is one of four Richardsonian Romanesque buildings in town funded by Sherman, and the only one combining rusticated stone with Shingle style detailing. Passenger service declined after the 1950s as the mines closed. Since 1983 the building has served as a senior citizen center, while a single track in front still carries Amtrak and freight trains. Few other structures survive from the former industrial area.
Significance in brief: It is a highly intact example of Richardsonian Romanesque-inspired vernacular public architecture and the only one of four Sherman-funded Romanesque buildings in Moriah to combine rusticated masonry with shingle detailing. It also played a pivotal role in the growth of Moriah, where rail service carried iron ore and iron products from the local mining and furnace operations and later brought summer tourists.
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 95000593, listed June 1, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Park Pl., Town of Moriah, Port Henry |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 1, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000593 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Built by George R. Sherman; architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Romanesque (Richardsonian Romanesque with Shingle style elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Industry, Entertainment/Recreation, Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used since 1983 as a senior citizen and nutrition center leased by the Town of Moriah; the railroad track in front is still used by Amtrak and freight trains, but the depot is no longer open regularly for passengers. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.04248, -73.45824 (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 95000593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3097330
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.