Railroad Borough Historic District
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Why it's listed
Railroad Borough is a community of brick, stone and frame buildings in two narrow valleys of southern York County, Pennsylvania, developed around a freight depot on the York and Maryland Line Rail Road. The line opened from York to Baltimore in August 1838 and was considered an engineering marvel for its steep gradients. Baltimore-backed rail construction brought the depot, and the borough was incorporated in 1871 after the area had earlier supported grist mills, bark mills and a tannery. From 1860 to 1880 larger works were established, including a flavine mill begun in 1869, a phosphate factory set up by G.P. Everhart before 1876, and a brewery founded by Frederick Helb in 1867 that could produce 800 barrels a year. Helb also added a distillery in 1870. The furniture works begun in 1900 later became the Sieling Furniture Co. The buildings show Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne details in a restrained, practical manner, and the district is valued as a surviving record of the rail and manufacturing economy of the period.
Significance in brief: The district is significant in the areas of architecture, industry and transportation. Its building stock reflects the town's role as a freight depot and manufacturing center during 1840-1920, including the Helb brewery, distillery and furniture works. The borough developed because the York and Maryland Line Rail Road opened in 1838, and the nomination regards it as a well-preserved example of a rail depot community.
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 84003601, listed March 22, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Shaub Rd. N., E., and S. Main St., Railroad |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | March 22, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003601 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1840-1920 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne influences applied to Georgian forms |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Sieling plant was the borough's sole surviving industry in 1971, and the 1972 destruction of the rail line by Hurricane Agnes is noted; the rail line is described as being rebuilt. |
| Acreage | 33 |
| Coordinates | 39.76069, -76.69768 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 84003601.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7284044
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.