I began researching
the history of the O&W Napanoch Depot in the late spring of
1998, and spoke with Art Robb not long afterward. Art provided
us with the Station blueprints, track map, and heating diagram,
which we used to apply for listing the Station on the National
Register of Historic Places. We were successful, and the Station
was listed on the NYS Register 12/98 and the National Register
2/99. Art also collected a Napanoch Station folder of photos and
documents, which he provided us Xerox copies of, as well as Xeroxes
of relevant timetables.
We subsequently drew on the above-noted
materials, along with other research I did, to apply for a TEA-21
Federal grant, which we were also successful in gaining approval
for, as announced at the end of March 2000 by Lt. Governor Mary
Donohue in a ceremony at the Station. The purpose of the TEA-21
grant is to use those funds to restore the Napanoch Depot, to
the extent possible, consistent with the 1902 blueprints from
the O&WRHS Archives, as a small museum (which is intended
to eventually be open to the public on a scheduled basis). The
museum is planned for interpreting some aspects of the history
of the Station itself, its relationship to the D&H Canal,
its relationship to the surrounding community, its relationship
to the prison, its relationship to the E&K branch (in Ulster
County), and conveying a bio of the primary station agent, James
C. Atkins (who was the station agent at Napanoch for 50 years).
Hopefully, there are a couple of O&WRHS members who would
be interested to volunteer as informal "guides" to visitors
when the Station is finally ready to open as a museum...perhaps
for half a day on Saturday or Sunday on a weekly basis, maybe
from May thru October or whatever schedule that could be worked
out with those interested.
The blueprints, and photos we took
of the actual Station, were also used - with consultation from
John Forni - to enable one of our inmates to create the famous
O-gauge scale model of the Station as it would have appeared in
1902. The model was one of the highlights of the 3/00 Kingston
Model Railroad Club Show at the Kingston Armory, the NYS Department
of Correctional Services "Corrections on Canvass" annual
art show, and also was displayed at Ulster County Community College's
Mid-Hudson Health & Safety Institute's annual Traffic &
Safety Fair 5/00. The model's most recent appearance was at the
Eastern New York Correctional Facility (ENYCF) Centennial Community
Tour 8/26/00 - seen by about 850 visitors - and it will also be
displayed at the ENYCF Centennial Banquet 9/23/00. Postcard views
of E&K branch depots provided by Ken Shuker and scanned by
Ron Vassallo, and a number of other scanned postcard views that
I purchased and/or were donated by area postcard club members,
were used together with photos of E&K depot sites in the present,
by the same inmate who did the Station model, to create a "then
and now" display panel that I designed, which was also shown
during the 8/26/00 ENYCF Community Tour and will be at the 9/23/00
ENYCF Banquet. Lastly, we also purchased Station sign drawings
which were used by a local signmaker/ artist to recreate the Napanoch
Station sign to accurate historic specs: it was hung on the Station
itself late this spring. This restoration project is being done
by the ENYCF and is on the Napanoch Correctional Facility grounds.
If you have any questions or are interested
in volunteering at the depot please contact Jeff at: JRubin@webtv.net
Editor's Note: On behalf of the O&WRHS
I would like to express our thanks to Art Robb for the many tireless
hours he spends in the archives tracking down maps, blueprints
and other materials for projects like this or for others just
looking for a map or a single photo. Thanks Art!
Napanoch Depot
Update
Following the enthusiatic response to the June 15th, 2007
Grand Opening (to mark the completion of major restoration work, as well
as the 105th anniversary of the start of regular passenger service at
Napanoch) and participation in Napanoch Day on June 16th, 2007, the
Station/Museum is now open to the public on an ongoing basis!
In addition to being open on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month
from 10 AM to 2 PM, we will now also be open on the 1st Sunday of each
month from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Displays tell the history of the Station, its relationship to the E & K
Branch of the O & W, its relationship to the D & H Canal, its
relationship to Eastern New York Correctional Facility, and its
relationship to the surrounding community. ADMISSION IS FREE.
Directions: From the north, take Rt. 209 South to Napanoch to the only
traffic light on Rt. 209 in Napanoch. Turn left onto Institution
Road. Proceed to the bridge, and turn right at the blue & yellow
historic marker immediately after the bridge. You will see the
Station/Museum directly ahead. From the South, take Rt.209 North
to Napanoch to the traffic light, turn right onto Institution Road, and
follow the directions as above.
Parking is in the blacktopped lot nearest the Station/Museum.
Photos of the Eastern New York Correctional Facility are NOT permitted;
photos of the Station/Museum are welcomed.
Master Poster.jpg
Napanoch Open House
11-10-2007
Photos by Joe Bux
