The Station was built by the FJ&G railroad in 1920. The building is representative of the many small railroad stations that served rural America at the beginning of the 20th century. It stopped being a Station in 1930 when the Northville tracks were flooded. In 1972, after multiple attempts at re-use and years of neglect, the building was salvaged. Most of the interior walls were demolished and the two east-west passages in the center blocked by new exterior walls. The pass-through on the North end became a garage. The center area had four horse stables and the attic was used as a hayloft. The octagonal shape on the South end was demolished and the South exterior walls squared. In the 90's, the artist Faust lived in the Station. The maple tree that used to grow through the roof overhang of the octagonal is still there - a 100 years plus later - and is in good health.
In 2002, the floor plan of the original interior was partially restored. Utilities were installed and the center roof structure support reframed. An attic was constructed with stair access. The exterior of the building was completely renovated. The interior was converted to residential and other uses, and the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the 1926 valuation of FJ&G property in Sacandaga Park. This valuation meant to fairly compensate the railroad for all it's holdings in the Valley that would be flooded or devalued by the creation of the Sacandaga Reservoir. The cost of operating the Station was not much in 1926.
This view shows the pavillion-type structure with the convenience store in the middle and (boarded-up) Post Office on the right. The center door opening, the porch columns, the eyelet dormers, all remain. Note that the cedar roof shingles are severely deteriorated.
Support for the large central roof was not structurally sound from the beginning. This caused the exterior walls to bow and the cantilevered 5ft wide roof overhangs to buckle, leak and decay. Lack of winter snow removal after 1960 did not help.
The 1972 "renovation" replaced all interior walls with 8 posts, creating one open space except for a studio apartment on the South side. The porch space on the East side was enclosed . There never was a heating system and other utilities were minimal. Mouse-over to see "NOW"
The East-side of the Station faces the Great Sacandaga Lake. It historically connected to the Picnic Park, Rustic Theatre and later on the Midway. For years it remained just a secluded backyard. It is now integrated into the rest of the Station garden. Mouse-over to see "NOW".
The building was close to collapse in 2002. The first steps in the restoration created an independent post and beam support for the central roof pyramid, a structural second floor and stairs for attic access. The center of the attic is shown; the attic is surprisingly large.
The open porch on the west side faces the former tracks; it now is a pleasant social space - cool in the summer and protective in winter. The railroad ROW in front of it has been preserved as a pedestrian passage. The platform was replaced in 2009.
The original blueprints were found after the restoration was completed in 2004. By then, the interior had been re-partitioned for residential use, utility infrastructure installed, and walls and ceilings re-framed and insulated. Much of the original layout remains