Norfolk and Western Freight Station
Also known as: New York, Chicago & St. Louis Freight Depot
Why it's listed
Built around 1882 at Lake Street in Madison, Ohio, this one-story freight station served the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, which was organized in 1881 and opened in 1882. That line became known as the Nickel Plate and ran directly parallel to the Lake Shore (New York Central) tracks just to the north. The wood-frame building sits on a stone foundation, has lap siding and a shingled gable roof, and is a rectangular plan with an addition. It is a typical small-town railway station, with a large baggage door, a projecting bay that gave a clear view of the tracks, and an overhanging gable roof with brackets. Hood moldings over the end windows are ornamented in the Eastlake style, and the windows appear to retain their original sash. The station was later associated with the Norfolk & Western Railway. It was listed because it remains one of the last 19th-century structures from the village's railroad history, set in a railroad yard between two tracks and rights-of-way.
Significance in brief: The station is described as a typical small-town railway station with Eastlake-style detailing. It is also one of the last 19th-century structures remaining from the village's railroad history. The line it served was organized in 1881 and opened in 1882, running parallel to the Lake Shore (New York Central) tracks.
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 80003127, listed October 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Lake St., Madison |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | October 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003127 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian (Eastlake) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in fair condition inside and outside; present use given as freight station; altered with an addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.77475, -81.04650 (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 80003127.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.