Peekskill Freight Depot
Encyclopedia
The Peekskill Freight Depot, sometimes called the Lincoln Depot, is located on South Water Street in Peekskill
, New York, United States. It is a brick building erected in the late 19th century.
During his train ride to Washington after being elected, Abraham Lincoln
gave a speech at this site, his only public appearance in Westchester County
. No longer in use as a depot, the current building is the only intact freight-only station building along the route of the former Hudson River Railroad. In 2004, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
. The neighborhood is primarily commercial, with other old industrial buildings.
It is a one-story 96 by masonry structure faced in common-bond
brick with a shallow-pitched
gable
d roof. The roof eave extends eight feet (2.2 m) over the elevated platform to shelter handlers while loading and unloading freight. It is supported by brackets
and has decorative
vergeboards at the north and south gable ends. The brick itself has segmented pilaster
s between the bays
and some corbel
ing.
Inside it retains much of its original trim. This includes the cement floor, wainscoting, exposed trusswork ceiling and reed molding
and bullseye
corner blocks around the doors.
to handle freight
shipments into and out of what was then a busy industrial Hudson River
city.) Around 1890 the present brick depot was built; at that time its platform had extensions to the north and south along the tracks. There are some reports of fire
s in the 1880s and again in 1898; and blistering of the interior paint at roof level gives evidence that there was one.
On February 19, 1861, Abraham Lincoln
stopped here during his train trip to his inauguration and gave a brief speech at the invitation of local congressman William Nelson
, who introduced him. Contemporary newspaper accounts suggest that approximately 1500 people were present, equivalent to about half the population of Peekskill at that time, to hear his brief request for their support in the coming crisis (four states had already seceded
by then). It was his only recorded appearance in Westchester County.
Peekskill has embraced Lincoln's appearance as a celebrated part of its history. A memorial stone, the Lincoln Exedra, was erected on South Street, overlooking the depot, in 1925. The speech was commemorated vigorously at its 50th anniversary in 1911, and again on its centennial in 1961. The latter occasion featured a re-enactment of the speech, with actor
s dressed as Lincoln and Nelson. The Lincoln Society of Peekskill keeps the memory alive and organizes other activities related to its namesake.
The railroad no longer exists, and the building fell vacant as Peekskill's industrial base declined to the point that freight shipments were no longer made (the line itself is now the Metro-North
Hudson
commuter line, handling almost exclusively passenger traffic). It is currently being restored for possible use as a museum devoted to Lincoln's appearance with help from New York's Office of Historic Preservation
.
Peekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
, New York, United States. It is a brick building erected in the late 19th century.
During his train ride to Washington after being elected, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
gave a speech at this site, his only public appearance in Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. No longer in use as a depot, the current building is the only intact freight-only station building along the route of the former Hudson River Railroad. In 2004, the station was added to 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...
.
Building
The depot building is closer to the tracks and their chainlink fencing than it is to Water Street. Across them is a park and the Hudson RiverHudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. The neighborhood is primarily commercial, with other old industrial buildings.
It is a one-story 96 by masonry structure faced in common-bond
Brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
brick with a shallow-pitched
Roof pitch
In building construction, roof pitch is a numerical measure of the steepness of a roof, and a pitched roof is a roof that is steep.The roof's pitch is the measured vertical rise divided by the measured horizontal span, the same thing as what is called "slope" in geometry. Roof pitch is typically...
gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof. The roof eave extends eight feet (2.2 m) over the elevated platform to shelter handlers while loading and unloading freight. It is supported by brackets
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural member made of wood, stone, or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight. It may also support a statue, the spring of an arch, a beam, or a shelf. Brackets are often in the form of scrolls, and can be carved, cast, or molded. They can be entirely...
and has decorative
Ornament (architecture)
In architecture and decorative art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object. Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornament does not include human figures, and if present they...
vergeboards at the north and south gable ends. The brick itself has segmented pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s between the bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
and some corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
ing.
Inside it retains much of its original trim. This includes the cement floor, wainscoting, exposed trusswork ceiling and reed molding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
and bullseye
Bullseye (target)
The bullseye, or bull's-eye, is the centre of a target , and by extension the name given to any shot that hits the bullseye...
corner blocks around the doors.
History
The first depot was built of wood around 1850 by the New York Central RailroadNew York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
to handle freight
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
shipments into and out of what was then a busy industrial Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
city.) Around 1890 the present brick depot was built; at that time its platform had extensions to the north and south along the tracks. There are some reports of fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
s in the 1880s and again in 1898; and blistering of the interior paint at roof level gives evidence that there was one.
On February 19, 1861, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
stopped here during his train trip to his inauguration and gave a brief speech at the invitation of local congressman William Nelson
William Nelson (congressman)
William Nelson was an American lawyer and judge from Westchester County, New York. He represented New York in the U.S. Congress from 1847 to 1851....
, who introduced him. Contemporary newspaper accounts suggest that approximately 1500 people were present, equivalent to about half the population of Peekskill at that time, to hear his brief request for their support in the coming crisis (four states had already seceded
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
by then). It was his only recorded appearance in Westchester County.
Peekskill has embraced Lincoln's appearance as a celebrated part of its history. A memorial stone, the Lincoln Exedra, was erected on South Street, overlooking the depot, in 1925. The speech was commemorated vigorously at its 50th anniversary in 1911, and again on its centennial in 1961. The latter occasion featured a re-enactment of the speech, with actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s dressed as Lincoln and Nelson. The Lincoln Society of Peekskill keeps the memory alive and organizes other activities related to its namesake.
The railroad no longer exists, and the building fell vacant as Peekskill's industrial base declined to the point that freight shipments were no longer made (the line itself is now the Metro-North
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
Hudson
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
commuter line, handling almost exclusively passenger traffic). It is currently being restored for possible use as a museum devoted to Lincoln's appearance with help from New York's Office of Historic Preservation
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation operates :*168 state parks*35 state historic sites*76 developed beaches*53 water recreational facilities*27 golf courses*39 full service cottages*818 cabins...
.