Connellsville Union Passenger Depot
Also known as: Connellsville Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1911-1912 by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie and Western Maryland Railroads, this one-and-a-half-story red brick station in Connellsville stands near West Crawford Avenue, a main business street. Its hipped roofs are covered in Spanish terra cotta tiles, and wide eaves rest on chamfered timber brackets set on stone corbels. Its three-story tower housed a teletype room and served as the control point for interlocking switches between the two lines. The depot was the junction where the Western Maryland connected to the P and LE at Connellsville, and it was one of the stations used during the railroad's peak passenger years between 1910 and 1930. Passenger service ended around 1939. The interior retains marble floors, oak woodwork and original light fixtures. The nomination regards it as the best-preserved Mission-style station on the line, and it was recognized for both its transportation role and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the depot is locally significant for its transportation history as the junction point between the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie and Western Maryland lines, and for its Mission/Craftsman architecture. It states the station is in the best condition and has the highest integrity among surviving P and LE stations, and that its tower served as a teletype room and control point for interlocking switches.
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 96000319, listed March 29, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 900 W. Crawford Ave., Connellsville |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | March 29, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000319 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad; Western Maryland Railroad |
| Architectural style | Mission/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Being restored; the document states the station is currently undergoing restoration after years of use for auto dealership, auto parts and storage purposes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.01655, -79.59918 (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 96000319.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5161750
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.