A piece of American history hiding in plain sight in Philadelphia could soon get a new purpose — but bringing it back to life could cost taxpayers nearly $1 million. Historic Shawmont Station, considered the oldest passenger train station in the United States, could be transformed into a museum and community learning center under a plan supported by SEPTA and Philadelphia City Councilmember Curtis Jones. The former station sits in Philadelphia’s Roxborough neighborhood, just off the Schuylkill River Trail and along SEPTA’s Norristown Line between the Miquon and Ivy Ridge stations. Although passenger trains haven’t stopped at Shawmont Station since the 1990s, thousands of people still pass by the historic building daily. SEPTA is now leasing the property to the city of Philadelphia for just $1 a year, paving the way for its potential transformation into a museum. Councilmember Jones plans to introduce legislation to fund the station’s restoration, which SEPTA estimates will cost $972,000. “If you are going to educate people, that’s a worthwhile tax expense. I think it adds value to the homes in the area. So we get a little bit of it back,” Jones said. Preserving nearly 200 years of railroad history The station’s history stretches back to 1826,when the building was originally a home before becoming a train station. John Johnstone, resident historian for the Historic Shawmont Station Society, helped secure the building’s designation on Philadelphia’s historic register in 2008. “It looks very much as it did in 1826, the only difference is the center bay window that was put there in 1870 for a telegraph – so a telegraph operator could sit there,” Johnstone said. The station underwent an exterior restoration in 2023, but supporters hope the next phase will make the historic property accessible to the public. Under the proposed plan, a nonprofit society would operate the building as a museum and community learning center. Johnstone believes the museum could become a popular destination for railroad enthusiasts and neighborhood residents alike. “It’s great for the community. It’s great for the city. Everybody’s interested in railroad history. We saw the response to “Big Boy” when it went through the area. I imagine it’ll be a hit,” Johnstone said. A new destination for the Roxborough community Beyond preserving the building, supporters envision a space where visitors, particularly children, can learn about Philadelphia’s railroad history. “They’re going to safeguard that so that a kid that might be interested in locomotives might come up there and get a virtual, an actual experience in my district,” Councilmember Jones explained. For historian Johnstone, the idea of turning the station into a museum is a relatively recent development. “It just seemed like the best thing to have for the community,” Johnstone said. While trains may no longer stop at Shawmont Station, the proposed restoration could give visitors a chance to experience a piece of American railroad history for themselves. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less