Latrobe in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Pennsylvania Railroad
Building for the Future
— Certified Historic Latrobe Property —
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 22, 2021
1. Pennsylvania Railroad Marker
Latrobe grew into a community because of the railroad. A plan developed by Oliver W. Barnes and implemented in 1851 created a true community center that consisted of the Pennsylvania Railroad Depot, a railroad hotel, wood and water yards and a profitable first industry called the Pennsylvania Car Works.
In 1901, the present Pennsylvania Railroad Station was built along with the extensive engineering feat of raising the tracks.
This monumental effort allowed for unobstructed ground-level traffic and greatly influenced commercial activity in the borough center as well as increasing the efficiency of the railroad in moving increased industrial loads.
The broad-scale connectivity and speed of movement led the railroad to be the primary method of travel for sales representatives, engineers and executives for all of the local major industries until the rise of airline travel and the development of the interstate highway system in the 1960's.
[Illustration captions, top to bottom, read]
• [Pennsylvania Railroad "PRR" Keystone emblem]
• Railroad Directory, 1890
• Overpass Construction in 1901
Erected by Latrobe Community Revitalization Program.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce
this page online
Location. 40° 19.044′ N, 79° 23.145′ W. Marker is in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in Westmoreland County. Marker is on Ligonier Street north of Depot Street (Pennsylvania Route 981), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 304 Depot Street, Latrobe PA 15650, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Banana Split (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Reflections of Latrobe History (about 400 feet away); Dainty Pastry Shoppe (about 500 feet away); Fred McFeely Rogers (about 500 feet away); William Findley (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Second Ward School and Bell (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Latrobe.
Also see . . . The Latrobe Community Revitalization Program. Website homepage (Submitted on October 24, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 22, 2021
2. Pennsylvania Railroad Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 22, 2021
3. Former Pennsylvania Railroad Station
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 22, 2021
4. Pennsylvania Railroad Builders' Stone
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 24, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 267 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 24, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
