HA-841 B & O Railroad Station

Architectural Survey File

This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps.

Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.

All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Last Updated: 02-18-2004 MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST NR Eligible: yes_X_ DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY FORM no

0 roperty Name: _Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station Inventory Number: ___H_A_-8_4_1 ___ _

Address: 400 Block of Bel Air Avenue City: Aberdeen _____ Zip Code:

County: Harford USGS Topographic Map: Aberdeen

Owner: _CS~ Transportation Is the property being evaluated a district? __ yes

Tax Parcel Number: _l()Q______Tax Map Number: _2_0~5__ _ Tax Account ID Number: 003945 ------· ·~--

Project: MD 132 @ CSX Transportation Agency: FHWA/SHA

Site visit by MHT staff: __X__ no ___ yes Name: Date:

Is the property is located within a historic district? __ yes _X__ no

If the property is within a district District Inventory Number: NR-listed district_ yes Eligible district ___ yes Name of District:

1 Preparer's Recommendation: Contributing resource __yes __ no Non-contributing but eligible in another context ___ yes

If the property is not within a district (or the property is a district) Preparer's Recommendation: Eligible __X_yes no

Criteria: X A B X C D Considerations: A B c D E F G None

Documentation on the property/district is presented in: Project Review and Compliance Files

Description of Property and Eligibility Determination: (Use continuation sheet if necessary and attach map and photo) The & Ohio Railroad Station in Aberdeen was previously surveyed by Jean Ewing of the Maryland Historical Trust at an unknown date. At that time, a National Register Field Sheet was completed for the resource that provided a brief description, minimal historic context and a sketch of the floor plan.

The building was constructed in 1885 for use as the Aberdeen passenger and freight station (Aberdeen Room website). The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began construction of a main line between Baltimore and New York in the early 1880s (Wright 1967, 130). According to a history of the town of Aberdeen, the rail line was constructed through the village in 1883 and was completed through Harford County in 1885 (Aberdeen Centennial Committee 1967, 16; Wright 1967, 130).

The building is a 1-112 story wood-frame cross-gable structure located on the west side of the tracks. The building has a slate roof, wood shingle siding and a raised brick foundation. Dominating the east, or track side of the building are large wood brackets supporting the waiting platform overhang. The gracefully curved brackets have a reeded detail. Also on the east side of the station building are asymmetrical gable-front dormers. On the rear, the gables are joined and form an irregular shape. The station has been attributed to two different architects -- Frank Furness and E. Francis Baldwin. Baldwin was the architect for the western Maryland B&O stations. However, Furness designed other stations for the B&O in Pennsylvania and several in Baltimore County for the Western Maryland Railroad. Herbert Harwood in "Royal Blue Line" describes the station as the type

MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST REVIEW Eligibility recommended _x__ Eligibility not recommended __ Criteria: -A A _ _B _X C _ __n Considerations: A __B____ C__ D_ E _ F __ G ___ None MHT Comments

---~1/-1s}o_2.______Reviewer, ?!J!icte~f Preservation Services ate ___{'£ 1.11.~ ! l II z_ 5 ~c ·z_. Revie~er, PrognuI: fate NR-ELIGIBILITY REVIEW FORM HA-Z~l

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station - Page 2

of station that contained the agent's living quarters above the lobby while the freight house was attached or incorporated into the building (Harwood, 1990, 171 and SIA, 1995, 88). Based on the similarities with two stations on the Northern Central Railroad at Riderwood and Stevenson which Furness also designed, the Aberdeen Station is also an example of Furness' work.

Passenger use of the B&O Railroad was suspended in 1955. At that time, one of the tracks was removed, leaving the current single track (Wright 1967, 130). Since 1955, the Aberdeen station building has been used as headquarters for track maintenance and supervision. In recent years, the building has been vacant. The May-June 1998 internet edition of the National Railway Historical Society, Wilimington Chapter newsletter mentioned that demolition of the station building was eminent, however, the building still stands as of August 2002. During the past four years, the Aberdeen Room Archives and Museum have worked with CSX Corporation on a plan to move the station building, however, an alternate building site has not been found.

Despite minor condition problems resulting from neglect, the station retains a high degree of structural and architectural integrity and represents a significant and somewhat rare example of a nineteenth century passenger railroad station in Maryland. Due to the significance of the B&O in Maryland's history, the station is eligible under Criteria A and C for the National Register of Historic Places.

Sources Consulted:

Aberdeen Centennial Committee. "Aberdeen Diamond Jubilee Historical Booklet." Aberdeen Diamond Jubilee Historical Committee, 1967

Cronin, Richard F. "A History of Aberdeen, Maryland." Bicentennial Committee of Aberdeen, 1976

Harwood, Herbert H. Jr., "Royal Blue Line." Sykesville, MD: Greenburg Publishing Co., 1990.

Livezey, Jon Harlan, "Aberdeen Centennial Almanac." Bel Air: Stockson Printing Company, 1992.

Society of Industrial Archeology, Benjamin Latrobe, Jr., Chapter, "Baltimore: Industrial Garteway on the Chesapeake Bay." Ed. Dennis M. Zembela, 1995

State Directories Publishing Company, "Harford County Directory." Baltimore: State Directories Publishing Co., 1953

Wright, C. Milton, "Our Harford Heritage." Glen Burnie: French-Bray Printing Company, 1967

Web Sites:

Aberdeen Room Archives and Museum (www.aberdeenroom.com), accessed August 18 and September 9, 2002

Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (www.wilmingtonnrhs.com), accessed August 18, 2002

Prepared by: Tim Tamburino & Anne Bruder Date Prepared: 0910912002 r Aberdeen USGS Quad •• APE A ~ . L

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' r-.. r i , r .{" I ' f ,- """-- \)0 STATE: Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Dec. 1968) sHEE'T NATIONAL PARK SERVICE N. R. f\El.D COUNTY' --:- ·1.. rn~TIOMAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 1s10 ..IC" IMVEMTORY MD-\-\ - MOMIMATIOM FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY sc>'­ 17J-+ D 21404 f00U5, M ' ENTRY NUMBER I DATE AN•"'"' (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) I or Wiae··-·--·-···· .· :.-: ·.. ··:::··· .. •: .. :, . COMMON' 6 a-l-h :n nJ) ~ CJL~ :1?'a.dh"' dl cL fi/af,~ ANDIOR HISTORIC:

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PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Agri cu llural D Government 0 Park D Transportation 0 Comments 0 Commercial 0 Industrial 0 Private Residence 0 Other (Specify) 0 Educational 0 Military 0 Relilgious 0 (8 1 ,_ Entertainment 0 Museum 0 Scientific D i J~Ju;z,·-m - iuur o"iuzi " 14. OWNER OF PROPERTY :• OWNERS NAME: b&llz~dL{) ~- olJ /~11~" (Jj_ STREET AND NUMBER: rE t (] (;~'//u~~ CITY OR TOWN: STATE: CODE .. I I I ~ )> J3~1'4~ "/UL_ IJZL I ~ I'\ fs. LOCATION OF LEG-AL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS. ETC:

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DATE OF SURVEY: Federal n Slate D County D Loca'I D I'\z DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: :n~ ..... -< 0 ~ z z STREET AND NUMBER: c l: .,.-0 Ill I'\ c ..____ ,__:n VI CITY OR TOWN: !STATE: CODE m I 0 0 ·z I )> r ~ I'\ -< N. R.. FIELD SHEET

PERIOO (Check One or More as Appropriate) Pre- 0 16th Century O 18th Century 0 20th Century 0 15th Century 0 17th Century 0 ~~~~:;o----.-., -- SPECIFIC DATE(S) -- (II Applicable and Known)

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Aboriginal Education 0 Political 0 Urban Planning 0 Prehistoric 0 Engineering 0 Religion/Phi- Other (Specify) 0 Historic 0 Industry 0 losophy 0 Agriculture 0 Invention 0 Science 0 Art 0 Lands cape Seu lpture 0 Commerce 0 Archi tee tu re D Social/Human- Communications 0 Literature D itarion D Conservation 0 Military D Theater 0 ~~~~t~;e----.. 0 Music D c Transportation~_, STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE-- (Include Personages, Dates, Events, Etc.)

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