Train Station Museum Completed
With the support and guidance of the Piermont Village Board of Trustees and a grant obtained with the assistance of Senator David Carlucci (D-38th Senate District), the installation of the new foundation is completed. Thanks to all our supporters and the people of Piermont whose continued support has ensured that Piermont’s grand old train station, housing Piermont’s rich and diverse history, will welcome visitors well into the future.
Piermont Railroad Station Museum Opens After Restoration
The Piermont Historical Society saved the station – built in 1873 – and had extreme foundation problems.
THE PATCH – Lanning Taliaferro , June 20, 2017
PIERMONT, NY – The beautifully restored Piermont Railroad Station was officially opened at the Piermont Historical Society’s Family Fun Day Saturday. Visitors were able to tap out a message on the telegraph in Morse code and hop on board the Piermont Express Locomotive for a photo; take a history challenge; learn about Piermont’s rich history; and become a junior stationmaster.
The restoration was a 13-year effort that started with the acquisition of the 144-year-old station which now serves as the Museum of the History of Piermont. It ended a crisis discovered in 2013 — the station had foundation troubles. It was sitting on an old stone foundation with a rotting wood sill that had all but disappeared. The joists and floor boards were disintegrating and the Piermont Historical Society installed temporary plywood flooring so the museum could remain open.
Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) was able to secure $100,000 in state funds to help preserve the structure. The work entailed very sophisticated engineering and construction skills. The entire center of the structure (the floor) was removed. A new concrete floor was poured and a new wood floor placed atop it. Drainage was added and the structure raised above the grade of the Erie Path, ensuring that the station will be preserved for another 144 years.
Family Fun Day is about reminding people about the community’s story and teaching children to be proud of the place in which they live,” stated Richard Esnard, the Historical Society’s Board Member. “The renovations were carried out with historical accuracy. Its successful restoration is due not only to the support of the people of Piermont but also to many dedicated community members, including Senator Carlucci, who were committed to the project. It was a combined effort that has ensured that Piermont’s grand old train station will be around for generations to come.”
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this station is the only known station of its kind remaining.
“Our community was the backdrop for so many moments in our Nation’s history, dating back to the American Revolution. There was no question that we had to save the railroad station and make sure it was a place that people of all generations could go and learn about Piermont’s storied history. I am thankful the Historical Society has kept this exhibit open and able to showcase our community’s history for the next 100 years,” said Carlucci.
Originally part of the Northern Railroad, today the station serves as a tribute to Piermont’s history and its exhibits include:
- General Washington’s meeting with British General Sir Guy Carleton at the Onderdonck House on Piermont Avenue,
- The Erie RR traveling from the end of Piermont’s pier to Lake Erie,
- The Northern Railroad commuter train from Jersey City to Nyack,
- Stationmaster Belle Kelly’s “on-line” romance – via the telegraph,
- Piermont’s Paper mill exhibit: “Stories from the Factory”,
- Fort Comfort – Piermont’s luxury resort,
- Piermont’s role during World War II exhibit: Piermont’s pier as the demarcation point of over a half million soldiers
