Big Four Depot
Also known as: Middletown Train Station; Big Four Passenger Station
Why it's listed
Dedicated in December 1900, this depot in Galion, Ohio, served as division headquarters for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, known as the Big Four. The building housed engineers, the division superintendent, the trainmaster and clerical staff for the Galion, Springfield and Indianapolis divisions. Its first floor is rock-faced sandstone, while the second story is banded in bevel siding, shiplap and shingle beneath a bellcast hip roof with several dormers. The style is a hybrid, possibly best labeled Queen Anne, and the station was larger and more decorated than most small-town depots. All trains stopped in Galion to change crews, and passenger traffic probably peaked around World War I, when 32 trains a day called. Presidential candidates, including Al Smith, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Nixon, spoke from its platforms. The New York Central acquired the Big Four in 1929, headquarters moved to Bellefontaine, and the depot was vacated in about 1969.
Significance in brief: The depot served as division headquarters for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (the Big Four) and was a stop for all trains, including the New York to St. Louis service. Architecturally it is a hybrid of many styles, possibly best labeled Queen Anne, and is larger and more elaborate than most small-town stations. It also became a whistle stop for campaigning presidential candidates.
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). NRHP reference 13000979, listed December 24, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 25 Charles St., Middletown |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | December 24, 2013 |
| Reference number | 13000979 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries; dedicated Dec. 1900 |
| Architect / builder | Stonemasonry by Homer Longstreth |
| Architectural style | Hybrid of many stylistic elements, possibly best labeled Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair and altered; the depot was vacated in about 1969 and is marked not in use. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 39.51395, -84.39218 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 13000979.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.