Woodland Station
Also known as: Morstein Station
Why it's listed
Built as a two-story brick railroad station beside King Road in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, the building was constructed during the 1870s along the West Chester Railroad line, one of the first completed rail lines in Pennsylvania. Its owners, the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad, shaped it to suit their own needs rather than the specifications of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which leased the line. The first floor held two rooms, and the upper floor provided living space, so the station also served as a residence for railroad employees, with the family in residence handling ticket sales. A frame addition of 1889 added a ticket office and waiting room on the west side. The station also served as a post office, and its presence encouraged suburban development in the southeast of the township. Its plain form and little subsequent alteration make it a clear record of the era of rural rail travel and of the line itself.
Significance in brief: The station is described as an undisturbed example of vernacular architecture shaped by transportation needs, and it was designed to suit its owners rather than the leasing Pennsylvania Railroad. Its association with the West Chester Railroad, one of the first completed rail lines in Pennsylvania, and its role in suburban development of the township are cited as reasons for significance.
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 84003326, listed September 6, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 408 King Rd., West Whiteland |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | September 6, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003326 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860-1879 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residence |
| Acreage | 9.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.02038, -75.58170 (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 84003326.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8032885
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.