A boarded-up train depot along the Schuylkill River in Roxborough could soon reopen its doors for the first time in decades, this time as a museum instead of a rail stop. Shawmont Station, which dates back to 1826 and sits along SEPTA's Norristown Line between the Miquon and Ivy Ridge stations, has been closed to passengers since the 1990s even as thousands of people pass by it daily on their commutes.
SEPTA has now awarded the City of Philadelphia a long-term lease for the building, according to a SEPTA press release announcing the deal on September 24. Under the terms described by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, the city will pay SEPTA just $1 a year for 20 years, with an option to renew for another five. The city, in turn, plans to sublease the building to the Historic Shawmont Station Society, which would operate it as a museum and community learning center, as first reported by NBC10 Philadelphia.
From Summer Home to Historic Depot
The building wasn't always a train station. It was originally constructed as a country home in the 1820s before being converted for rail use, according to Hidden City Philadelphia. Passenger service at the site may have started as early as 1835, per the same outlet, citing John Johnstone, resident historian for the Historic Shawmont Station Society, who helped secure the building's spot on Philadelphia's historic register in 2008.
Johnstone said the structure looks much as it did in 1826, aside from a center bay window added in 1870 for a telegraph, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. Accounts differ on exactly when regular passenger service ended: Hidden City Philadelphia reports service stopped completely in 1995, while the Philadelphia Inquirer states the station closed in 1996 after 180 years of continuous passenger rail service. Either way, the building has sat closed to the public since 1991, when it began deteriorating, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A Costly Next Chapter
SEPTA finished restoring the station's Greek Revival-style exterior in 2023, the Inquirer reports. Interior work is expected to begin once a tenant is formally in place, according to Hidden City Philadelphia's earlier reporting on the project. Estimates for that next phase vary: SEPTA projects restoration costs at $972,000, per NBC10 Philadelphia and the Inquirer, while the Inquirer separately cites a figure of $971,658 to restore utilities and rehab the interior.
Under the lease terms, Philadelphia would be responsible for covering those restoration costs, according to Progressive Railroading. SEPTA has said the arrangement will save the transit agency nearly $1 million in improvement costs by eliminating its maintenance obligations going forward, the same outlet notes. The earlier exterior renovation that wrapped up in 2023 carried its own price tag of $1.25 million and was expected to take about nine months once underway, according to Hidden City Philadelphia and railfan.com's reporting.
Councilmember Pushes for Funding
City Councilmember Curtis Jones, whose district includes Roxborough, supports the plan and intends to introduce legislation to help fund the station's restoration, per NBC10 Philadelphia. Jones said educating people is a worthwhile use of tax dollars and could add value to nearby homes. He also said children interested in locomotives could get both a virtual and in-person experience in his district, according to the same report.
Supporters envision a place where visitors, particularly children, can learn about Philadelphia's railroad history, with the building positioned near the entrance to the Schuylkill River Trail. Johnstone believes the museum could draw both railroad enthusiasts and neighborhood residents, and said the museum idea seemed like the best use for the community. The station is not expected to return as an active SEPTA stop once renovations are complete, according to railfan.com.
A Contested Claim to Fame
Shawmont Station is often described as the oldest surviving passenger rail station in the country. The Inquirer calls it the oldest passenger railroad depot in the United States, while Hidden City Philadelphia reports that Johnstone considers it the oldest extant passenger railway station in the nation. Whether that title will ever be formally settled, the building's next chapter now hinges on the city turning a decades-old shell along the Schuylkill into a place for the public to walk through again.
