Antwerp Norfolk and Western Depot
Encyclopedia
The Antwerp Norfolk and Western Depot is a historic former train station
in the village of Antwerp
in the far western portion of the U.S. state
of Ohio
. Built in 1880 by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway
, it is a primarily wooden structure with weatherboarded
walls. Its roof features a distinctively large overhang
.
When the depot was built, Antwerp was the largest community in Paulding County
, due to an active logging
industry. Accordingly, the depot was built to be larger than most train stations in small northwestern Ohio communities. Inside, the station is divided into several distinct areas: freight, ordinary passengers, mail and express packaging, and internal railroad offices each possess their own rooms. Other than its size, the depot is typical of late nineteenth-century train stations in northwestern Ohio, which frequently served as commercial hubs for their communities.
After the station closed in 1976, the Antwerp Historical Society purchased it from the Norfolk and Western Railway
; having no use for the station, the railroad asked the society to relocate
it, and the depot was moved to its present location, approximately 200 feet (61 m) to the west of its original site. Four years later, the depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, both because of its distinctive architecture and because of its significance in local history. This designation is unusual, for buildings that have been moved from their original locations are not normally eligible for inclusion on the National Register.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in the village of Antwerp
Antwerp, Ohio
Antwerp is a village in Paulding County, Ohio, United States, along the Maumee River. The population was 1,740 at the 2000 census.Antwerp is the nearest village to the Six Mile Reservoir, the site of the Reservoir War in 1887. Antwerp is the birthplace of Asa Long, the English draughts player...
in the far western portion of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Built in 1880 by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
, it is a primarily wooden structure with weatherboarded
Weatherboarding
Weatherboarding is the cladding or ‘siding’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another, either vertically or horizontally on the outside of the wall. They are usually of rectangular section with parallel sides...
walls. Its roof features a distinctively large overhang
Overhang (architecture)
An overhang in architecture is a protruding structure which may provide protection for lower levels. Overhangs on two sides of Pennsylvania Dutch barns protect doors, windows, and other lower level structure. Overhangs on all four sides of barns is common in Swiss architecture...
.
When the depot was built, Antwerp was the largest community in Paulding County
Paulding County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,293 people, 7,773 households, and 5,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 49 people per square mile . There were 8,478 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, due to an active logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
industry. Accordingly, the depot was built to be larger than most train stations in small northwestern Ohio communities. Inside, the station is divided into several distinct areas: freight, ordinary passengers, mail and express packaging, and internal railroad offices each possess their own rooms. Other than its size, the depot is typical of late nineteenth-century train stations in northwestern Ohio, which frequently served as commercial hubs for their communities.
After the station closed in 1976, the Antwerp Historical Society purchased it from the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
; having no use for the station, the railroad asked the society to relocate
Structure relocation
A structure relocation is the process of moving a structure from one location to another. There are two main ways for a structure to be moved: disassembling and then reassembling it at the required destination, or transporting it whole. For the latter, the building may be pushed on temporary rails...
it, and the depot was moved to its present location, approximately 200 feet (61 m) to the west of its original site. Four years later, the depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, both because of its distinctive architecture and because of its significance in local history. This designation is unusual, for buildings that have been moved from their original locations are not normally eligible for inclusion on the National Register.