Column: History of the Plattsburgh Delaware and Hudson Railroad Depot

The Delaware and Hudson Railroad Depot, on Bridge Street in Plattsburgh, was erected in 1886. The fact that this impressive building remains standing today serves as a reminder of the importance of the railroad to the North Country during the Railroad Era of the nineteenth century. The popular idea of this time was that a railroad depot not only served as a gateway to a city but also was a monument of civic architecture of which the community could only be proud. Therefore, the construction of a depot in a town along a railroad line was an event of great importance. The citizens of Plattsburgh felt honored to have such a grand structure built within their city. At the time of completion, it was thought there was no better depot to be found along the many Delaware and Hudson lines. The community was also satisfied with the cooperation and concern of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company in executing the plans for construction of a depot in Plattsburgh. Plans for locating the depot were begun in 1885 when C.W. Wrentz, Chief Engineer of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, proposed that this new structure be situated in an unsightly and swampy area just west of the old railroad depot northeast of Dock Street. This area first underwent improvement in 1873 when the Delaware and Hudson widened Bridge Street and again in early 1875 when it filled in a fifteen-foot-deep swampy ditch to the level of the railroad grade. Because these renovations still left an unsightly spot in an important and vital section of town, Wrentz' suggestion to continue the renovation of this site was met with approval from the citizens of Plattsburgh. Wrentz' plan brilliantly provided a convenient location along with enough space to construct a building of considerable size. The first step in the proposed plan was to widen further the north side of Bridge Street so as to eliminate most of the remaining sloping bank. A bank wall was then built along the sidewalk of the widened street, and the remaining land graded to the level of the railroad tracks, which were raised for this purpose by three feet. This now left a large section of suitable land on which to build the new depot. By moving the depot to the southern side of the tracks, it was made more accessible and convenient; not to mention less dangerous, for the passengers. Adding to passenger convenience was the Fouquet House, noted for fine food and lodging, which was situated across the street from the proposed site. In August 1885, bidding opened in Albany for the construction of the depot, and the contract was awarded to Van Schaick and Pasquini of Albany. Construction began around mid-September 1885, and occupancy was to begin in April. Designed by architect A.W. Fuller of Albany, the depot was, and still is, an excellent example of nineteenth-century Victorian architecture. The workmanship was considered to be first-class throughout, and Van Schaick was commended for faithfully executing the architectural design submitted by Fuller. When completed, at a cost of $22,000, the new depot measured one hundred and thirty-two feet by thirty-six feet containing two stories and a basement. The interior of the building boasted a well-designed floor plan. The floor at street level housed the main octagonal waiting room. This room was well-lit by French plate and cathedral glass windows, and a three-sided bay offered an excellent view up and down Bridge Street. The floors, wainscotings, and casings throughout the structure were in southern pine. The waiting room also contained the ticket and telegraph offices. The baggage and express rooms adjoined the waiting room at the south end of the building while the ladies' dressing room was at the northern end. The staircase at the southwest corner of the waiting area led to the Railroad Association Reading Room. This room was thirty-six feet square and was supplied with periodicals and newspapers. From the center of the waiting room a broad staircase descended to the lower floor, which was level with the railroad tracks. This ground floor contained a fine dining room. The east end of the building housed the main exit from the track level. This was a nine-foot-wide covered stairway. A second exit was located at the north end of the building. The building was originally heated by steam, and radiators were in each room. Gas burners were furnished for immediate use, and the builders, looking to the future, installed electric fixtures as well. Externally, the depot was a display of a multitude of late nineteenth-century architectural features. The walls were covered with Longmeadow brownstone from Massachusetts. Black Bangor slate was used as a covering for the roof as well as the many tower structures that arose from it. Arched multi-paned transoms adorned nearly each window and three-sided bays offered an assortment of views for the waiting passengers. A clock cupola was displayed on the northwest corner, and pyramidal towers arose from the eastern end of the depot. The hip-shaped roof contained gabled dormers, and arcade roofs were placed along three sides of the building to shelter the walks. Ornamental detail in the form of corbeling, flared rods along the peak of the roof, and terra cotta finials crowning the towers embellished the upper portion of the structure. The final garnish to the depot was a decorative plaque, complete with the Delaware and Hudson insignia, located on a tower facing Bridge Street. All of these features blended to create a building which graced the city of Plattsburgh. As a gateway into the city, the new depot was ideal and a monument of civic architecture which remains with us today. Editor's note: the building was renovated in 1983 and remains today a strong and beautiful structure with Amtrak passenger service to Montreal and New York City and local businesses using the spaces no longer needed for passengers. The Clinton County Historical Association 98 Ohio Ave., Plattsburgh NY 12903, has ornaments of the train station for $17 plus shipping. -Edited by Clinton County Historical Association Director Helen Nerska from an article published in February 1982 in CCHA's North Country Notes by Elizabeth Orsini, SUC. Email director@clintoncountyhistorical.org for more information.

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Column: History of the Plattsburgh Delaware and Hudson Railroad Depot

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