Greensburg Railroad Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1911 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the station complex consists of two one-story brick buildings with basements, laid in Flemish bond with stone trim, joined by a covered passageway 26 feet wide that leads to the tracks. The passenger station, designed by William H. Cookman in the Jacobean Revival style, measures 49 by 115 feet and has a gable roof with bracketed eaves, a copper-domed clock tower with stone belt courses, and a porte cochere over the street entrance. The baggage station, 88 by 59 feet, has a hipped roof. The complex was built when the Pennsylvania Railroad raised its track through Greensburg, a change that required tearing out the Main Street tunnel and elevating the depot tracks to their present height. The station is valued for its architecture and its link to the railroad's development in the town, which had been on the Pennsylvania Railroad main line since its early days.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is significant as part of Greensburg's long rail history on the Pennsylvania Railroad main line, and as the work of William H. Cookman in the Jacobean Revival style. Its elevated track and clock tower are presented as among the most attractive railroad stations in Western Pennsylvania.
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 77001202, listed November 7, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Harrison Ave., Greensburg |
|---|---|
| County | Westmoreland County |
| Listed | November 7, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001202 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911 |
| Architect / builder | William H. Cookman |
| Architectural style | Jacobean Revival |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Within district | Greensburg Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.30442, -79.54677 (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 77001202.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5604485
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.