Union Station (Portland, Maine) Explained

Union Station
Coordinates:43.6522°N -70.2804°W
Operator:Boston and Maine Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
Opened:June 25, 1888
Closed:October 30, 1960
Years:August 31, 1961
Events:demolished
Other Services Header:Former services

Union Station was a train station in the Libbytown neighborhood of Portland, Maine, which operated from 1888 to 1960. Located on St. John Street, it was demolished in 1961 and is now the site of a strip mall.

History

Designed by Boston architects Bradlee, Winslow & Wetherell, the station building was inspired by the designs of medieval French châteaux.[1] It was a primarily granite building, with a 188foot clock tower. The union station opened on June 25, 1888, serving trains of the Boston and Maine, Maine Central, and Portland and Ogdensburg railroads,[2] although the Grand Trunk Railway continued to use a different station two miles away on India Street.[3]

The Maine Central ended passenger rail service to the station in September 1960, and it closed on October 30, when the Boston and Maine moved its remaining trains out of the facility. On August 31, 1961, the train station was demolished, and a strip mall built on the property.[4] [5] Nevertheless, the Boston and Maine continued multiple daily trains from Portland itself to Boston until 1965.[6] [7]

Preservation group Greater Portland Landmarks was formed in 1964, in response to the station's demolition.[8]

Passenger trains

Noteworthy trains into the 1950s and in some cases to 1960:[9] [10]

A proposal to move Amtrak's Downeaster service from the Portland Transportation Center to a site near Union Station's original location has been endorsed by the Maine Department of Transportation.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: From the dust of Union Station,Portland preservation arose . Portland Press Herald . 31 August 2011 . 12 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150709085320/http://www.pressherald.com/2011/08/31/the-ugly-birth-of-preservation_2011-08-31/ . live . 9 July 2015.
  2. Web site: Union Station, Portland, ca. 1900 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084200/http://www.mainememory.net/artifact/23737/ . 5 March 2016 . 13 September 2015 . Maine Historical Society.
  3. September 1955 . Index of Railroad Stations . Official Guide of the Railways . National Railway Publication Company . 91 . 3.
  4. Book: Passenger Trains of Northern New England in the Streamline Era . TLC Publishing . Holland, Kevin . 2004 . Lynchburg, VA . 1-883089-69-7.
  5. Web site: Staff Report . 2022-12-15 . MaineHealth buys Portland shopping center for $16.8 million . 2023-09-22 . Press Herald.
  6. Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. .
  7. Boston and Maine Railroad, Table 6 . Official Guide of the Railways . National Railway Publication Company . 97 . 7 . December 1964.
  8. Web site: 2016-01-30 . Outcry prompts Portland council to consider rezoning site on Forest Avenue where CVS plans store . 2024-03-21 . Press Herald.
  9. Boston & Maine Railroad, Tables 3, 5 . Official Guide of the Railways . National Railway Publication Company . 91 . 3 . September 1955.
  10. Maine Central Railroad, Tables 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 . Official Guide of the Railways . National Railway Publication Company . 91 . 3 . September 1955.
  11. Web site: Report recommends relocating Amtrak Downeaster station . WMTW . February 25, 2021 . March 2, 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Union Station (Portland, Maine)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.