Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Indiana Passenger Station
Also known as: Indiana Train Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 in a simplified Queen Anne style, the one-story frame passenger station at 1125 Philadelphia Street in downtown Indiana Borough served the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway. Passenger service began on May 4, 1904, and the line was extended to the outskirts of town in 1903 to serve the county seat. The depot is regarded as a reminder of the railroad's role in opening Indiana County's coal fields, which brought capital, company towns and new markets to local merchants. Its hip roof, novelty weatherboard siding, wainscot and diamond-paned transoms give it an architectural character typical of railroad stations along the line. Its interior waiting rooms, baggage room and ticket office retain beaded tongue-and-groove sheathing. After passenger service ended around 1950 the building served as a freight depot, and in 1987-89 it was rehabilitated as a restaurant with its original interior features kept. It is considered the best-preserved BR&PR depot in Indiana County.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the depot is the borough's principal relic of the railroad age and is linked to the rail line that opened Indiana County's coal fields. It is also presented as a well-preserved, representative example of contemporary BR&PR stations, in a simplified Queen Anne style.
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 93000365, listed May 10, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1125 Philadelphia St., Indiana |
|---|---|
| County | Indiana County |
| Listed | May 10, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000365 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1942 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne (simplified version) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 1987-89 as the Train Station Restaurant; the document states it was used as a freight depot after passenger service ended around 1950. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.62342, -79.16144 (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 93000365.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4985631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.