Reading Railroad Freight Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1884 by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad at the corner of South Fifth and St. Louis Streets in Lewisburg, this one-and-one-half story brick and frame freight station combines eclectic late Victorian design with arcaded brickwork, white sandstone springers and corbels, and bracketed eaves supported by turned trusses. The railroad reached Lewisburg from the south in 1881 and linked the town to the anthracite coal region, Reading, and Philadelphia, serving local nail, agricultural equipment, furniture, and flour and textile mills. The station is the only survivor among Lewisburg's four railroad stations and is regarded as a fine example of railroad station architecture in Union County. Abandoned by Conrail in the mid 1970s, it stood vacant until 1986, when the exterior was restored and the interior adapted for offices. Its original freight doors remain visible in their raised position, and the building is listed for its architecture and its link to the town's rail past.
Significance in brief: The station is significant for its eclectic late Victorian design, with arcaded brickwork and ornate bracketed eaves, and as the only surviving building of Lewisburg's former railroad activity, having survived from among four stations. It is regarded as a fine example of railroad station architecture in Union 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 91002012, listed January 22, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of S. Fifth and St. Louis Sts., Lewisburg |
|---|---|
| County | Union County |
| Listed | January 22, 1992 |
| Reference number | 91002012 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-1941 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (eclectic); the document suggests influence of the Queen Anne and Stick styles |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned by Conrail in the mid 1970s, vacant until 1986, then restored on the exterior and adapted for office use. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Lewisburg Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.96341, -76.88721 (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 91002012.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7300547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.