The Painesville Depot was opened in 1893,

under the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Line.

This was a very proud building in its day.

The entire building cost was $18,075.00.

The style of the building is

Richardsonian Romanesque

and the  Architect was

Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge from Boston, Massachusetts.

Ø  1851 March - First wood frame train station was build for Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula RR.

Ø  1851 November 20, - First train ran from Painesville to Cleveland

Ø  1869 March - Lake Shore Railway Co. was formed

Ø  1869 May - Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad was formed

Ø  1892 July - Ground breaking of the new  Lake Shore depot.

Ø  1893 February 1, - The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Station Opens

Ø  1893 - inspector J. W. Leighton said, "It's the finest station of this line east of Cleveland and it is

    surpassed by none in convenient, arrange mentor elegance of finish."

Ø  1914 April 29, - The New York Central Railroad Company was formed by the consolidation of the

    Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Co. and 10 other railroad companies.

Ø  During World War I, Lake County service men said "Goodbye" from this station. The station

    became a canteen for the traveling soldiers during World War II.

Ø 1969 March 1, - Penn Central Railroad was formed

Ø  1971 May - Passenger service to Painesville Depot had stopped.

Ø  1971 May – The depot became a Greyhound Bus station until about mid 1988.

Ø  1988 - Conrail used the depot for storing signals and equipment.

Ø  1993 - The building was purchased by Edward Dunlap.

Ø  1997 - The Western Reserve Railroad Association was formed to help save this historic landmark.

Ø  2000 - The Lubrizol Corporation donated a caboose to the WRRA.

Ø  2002 - Ohio Historical Maker awarded

Ø  2006 March - The caboose was destroyed in a fire.

Ø  2015 April 20, - City of Painesville makes Railroad Street and Depot a Historic District.

Ø 2015 June 5,6 & 7, - The Lincoln Train comes to Painesville with 5000 guests in two days.

Ø 2015 Summer - B&O caboose restoration begins.

Ø 2015 Fall - restoration of the Depot begins with rest rooms & water service.

Ø 2017 March 27 - “eyebrow window” sees daylight once again after 50 plus years.

Ø 2019 Fall - Skip Heth’s 4-6-0 Live Steamer is donated to PRRM.

Ø 2020 February 29 - Engine #999 Lease is signed with CHSAA & Vesel’s Family.

Ø 2020 Spring – 1890’s Horse Drawn Trolley donated to PRRM by Paul Hach.

Ø 2021 Summer - Engine Barn & CSX box car display - anticipated ground breaking.

This is from atlas of 1896. This is before the underpass on State Street. For a larger view, click HERE.

Engineering drawings of adding the underpass on State Street, 1926For a larger view, click HERE.

The Western Reserve Railroad Association
dba
The Painesville Railroad Museum
a 501(c)3 non-profit