Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Station
Also known as: Chartiers Valley Railway Freight Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1871 at the end of the Chartiers Valley branch line in Washington, Pennsylvania, this single-story brick freight station measures 180 by 40 feet and rests on a heavy stone base. Its facade has a rhythm of arched window openings and bracketed overhangs in the Late Victorian manner. The station was the terminus of the branch from 1871 until 1885, when a connection was made to the Waynesburg and Washington narrow-gauge line. Freight moved through it on livestock, produce, furniture, coal and hay, and in 1953 it received elephants for a circus. Two side additions were built around 1909. Passenger service ended in 1952, freight deliveries continued until about 1975, and the building was restored in the 1990s. It is regarded as important to the commercial history of Washington County and to the region's railroad development.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is significant for its contribution to transportation and commerce in Washington County from 1871 to 1945, as the Chartiers Valley rail line brought the railroad to Washington. It is described as the only one of three surviving Washington railroad stations built as a freight station, and as possibly the sole survivor of structures tied to the railroad's commutation lines agreement with the state.
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 95000891, listed July 21, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 111 Washington St., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | July 21, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000891 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871-1945 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated beginning in 1991; the document describes restoration work including window replacement, masonry repair and new wood platform walks. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.37113, -80.25195 (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 95000891.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7164044
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.