Ephrata Station - Ephrata, Pennsylvania
N 40° 10.720 W 076° 10.600
18T E 399820 N 4448251
This station was built by the Reading & Columbia Railroad in 1889 and served trains until 1985. Today it is the Ephrata Visitor's Center.
Waymark Code: WMD6FK
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 11/26/2011
Views: 7
From
Downtown Ephrata: The Reading and Columbia Railroad began freight and passenger service through Ephrata in 1863. This station, built in 1889, is typical of railroad architecture and expressive of the role of railroads in community life. At one time, there was a 3-sided platform that extended to the railway tracks for passenger and commerce loading and unloading. Note the historic caboose behind the railroad station. This building is a Lancaster County Historic Preservation Trust site.
Why are the buildings set back on the south side of East Main Street?
The Reading-Columbia Railroad served Ephrata with both freight and passenger service during the mid to late 1800's. The train passed north south across East Main Street just to the west of where the Ephrata Railroad Station stands today.
Prior to construction of the station, a room on the first floor of the Mount Vernon Hotel (1854-1954), formerly located on the southeast corner of State and Main Streets where the Ephrata Review stands today, served as the passenger train station.
Travelers arriving by train came to Ephrata often to enjoy the country air and healing waters at the Mountain Springs Hotel, located on the hill to the east of town. The hotel would be signaled to send a coach to pick up their guests from the passenger waiting room in the Mount Vernon Hotel. This required a clear line of sight between the two hotels; hence, the necessity of the building setback on the south side of East Main Street.