Copley Depot
Why it's listed
Copley Depot is a small wooden railroad station built in 1891 for the Pittsburgh, Akron & Western Railroad, later part of the Akron, Canton & Youngstown line. It follows the common combination layout, with a passenger waiting room and a freight room divided by a central agent's office, and a projecting bay on the trackside. Its Stick style details include braced arches, beveled struts, knee braces, sawtooth ornament and exposed rafters with carved ends. Inside, original wood floors, wainscoting, a built-in desk, semaphore controls and freight shelving survive. Passenger service ended in 1951, and in 1974 the depot was moved about a half mile to avoid demolition by the railroad. It now serves as a museum, with a 1924 semaphore on the grounds. It was listed for its architecture: Stick style is unusual among Ohio's combination stations, and it is the only surviving station of its railroad line in Summit County.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion C as a distinctive late nineteenth century small-town combination railroad station. Its Stick style is unusual among Ohio combination stations, which more often used Gothic Revival or Italianate elements. Although moved, it retains its architectural integrity and setting, and it is the only remaining Pittsburgh, Akron & Western/AC&Y depot in Summit County.
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 01000563, listed May 31, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3772 Copley Rd., Copley |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | May 31, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000563 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Stick/Eastlake |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as a museum; moved in 1974 to prevent demolition by the railroad. Passenger service ended in 1951, and the building saw little or no use until the move. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.09905, -81.65383 (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 01000563.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138714911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.