Oakland in Garrett County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
1884 Oakland Train Station
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 17, 2020
The center part of the building contains the main passenger waiting room and the Station Agent's office. The Station Agent and his assistants handled sales of passenger train tickets and arriving and departing freight shipments on the tracks behind the station. The east side of the station contains a second passenger waiting room, sometimes called the "Ladies Waiting Room."
Between these two rooms was the railroad's telegraph operator office that in later years also served as the Western Union office. An important feature of the "Queen Ann Style" building is the rounded tower and roof over the telegraph office. The west side of the station building contained a baggage room, once dominated by the Railway Express Agency.
At one time, a 250,000-gallon water tank used to supply water for steam locomotives stood 50 feed from the east end of the station. It was removed in the early 1920's.
The last regular passenger train to depart from the station was B&O No. 12 that left at 6:30 p.m. on April 30, 1971.
The Town of Oakland purchased the entire station property in 1998 and began the renovation work that was completed in 2000. Since that date, the 1884 Oakland Train Station has become a model for the "revitalization work" of downtown Oakland.
Erected by The Town of Oakland, Maryland.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), and the Maryland, Town of Oakland series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1862.
Location. 39° 24.606′ N, 79° 24.522′ W. Marker is in Oakland, Maryland, in Garrett County. Marker
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), July 17, 2020
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gettysburg Campaign (a few steps from this marker); Our Benefactors (a few steps from this marker); 1920 Baldwin Steam Locomotive (a few steps from this marker); Oakland (a few steps from this marker); 1955 B&O Railroad Caboose (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oakland.
Regarding 1884 Oakland Train Station. Oakland was once a busy station, even as passenger trains were declining, greeting 8 long-distance express passenger trains a day in the 1940s and 1950s and numerous locals between Parkersburg and Cumberland.
B&O Train No. 12 (mentioned on the marker) was once a named train, the "Metropolitan Special", eastbound from St. Louis to Washington. No. 11 with the same name was the westbound train on the same route. The Metropolitan Special was a daily train with sleeping, dining and lounge cars as well as reclining seat coaches. It left St. Louis MO at 11:30 PM, got to Cincinnati OH at 7:30 in the morning, Parkersburg WV at 1:33 PM, and stopped in Oakland at 6:15 PM the on its way to Washington and then Baltimore. It would get to Washington at 11:10 PM, almost 24 hours after it left St. Louis. The westbound Metropolitan Special left Washington at 8 AM, stopped at Oakland at 1:21 PM and arrived St. Louis at 7:40 AM the next day.
Other named trains through Oakland were B&O Nos. 1 and 2, The National Limited, (New York to St. Louis via Washington); 3 and 4, The Diplomat, (New York via Washington to St. Louis); and 23 and 24, the West Virginian, (Washington to Wheeling WV).
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,779 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 18, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on June 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on August 11, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 5. submitted on June 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 6. submitted on August 11, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 7. submitted on June 17, 2006, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.