Railroads have served the northern counties of Central Florida since before the Civil War. Following the war, railroads expanded down the peninsula to bring transportation services to even more people and places throughout the region. By 1929, the railroad network in the state had reached its peak, with some communities being served by two or more railroad lines. Trains provided the means for growth and development, and the local depot was the focal point of every town throughout Florida's central region. Stretching across the middle section of the peninsula from coast to coast, the Central Florida area includes Levy, Gilchrist, Alachua, Putnam, and Volusia Counties to the north, while the counties of Sarasota, Desoto, Highland, Osceola, and Brevard define the southern boundary. Featuring depots of the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, Florida East Coast, and their predecessor railroads, the photographs used by the author were obtained from local historical groups, the Florida State Archives, and private collections.

"[S]ociety so often allows masterpieces of architecture...to be destroyed or altered as though real estate ownership supersedes any other value system....The best railroad stations were conceived in the dreams of architects and civil engineers, and then brought to life by talented craftspeople....This guidebook is a tribute not only to those who built these stations, but also the railroaders who worked within the depots and on the platforms...." — Janet Greenstein Potter Bustling nerve centers of a dynamic young society on the move, grand last farewells and first welcomes for millions of weary travelers, enduring monuments to the birth of the world's first truly modern nation, railroad stations played a central role in the shaping of the United States and its unique culture. Now, in this, the definitive guide to America's great railroad stations, writer and architectural historian Janet Greenstein Potter tells the stories of more than 700 of these masterpieces. An excellent resource for on-site and armchair travelers alike, this lavishly illustrated guide provides a generous mix of historical and practical information. Potter provides a detailed biographical profile of each station, covering the year of construction, name of original railroad, designer, style, and materials. Focusing on buildings that are still standing, she discusses depots that have been restored as well as those on the verge of distinction, explains what the station is used for today, and describes its current condition from a preservation/restoration standpoint. And, with the help of more than 500 beautiful archival photographs and detailed drawings, she helps you to gain a fuller understanding of what these structures were like in their heyday. For quick, easy reference, the book has been organized by region. Stations in all 50 of the United States are covered, and the street addresses of each building have been provided. Offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the grandeur and vitality of a bygone era, Great American Railroad Stations is an indispensable resource for travelers, architects and design professionals, preservationists, and train and transportation enthusiasts.

Michigan has a rich railroad history, which began in November 1836, when the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad initiated service between Toledo, Ohio, and Adrian, Michigan. That first Erie and Kalamazoo train consisted of stagecoach-like vehicles linked together and pulled by horses. Steam locomotive-hauled trains were still eight months in the future. As these new transportation entities grew and prospered, they put in place more elaborate station buildings in the communities they served. By the end of the 19th century, some of the larger railroad stations being built in Michigan were works of art in their own right. But whatever size and form they took, railroad stations were uniquely styled buildings, and there was generally no mistaking them for anything else. This volume portrays some of Michigan's finest railroad stations during their heyday in the second decade of the 20th century.

The first rail lines in northeast Ohio opened for business in July 1850, and by the 1890s, northeast Ohio was laced with railroad tracks. Cleveland was the hub of railroad activity, and important rail-served lake ports developed at Ashtabula, Conneaut, Fairport Harbor, Huron, and Lorain. Akron became a center of southerly east-west lines. Over 310 passenger and combination depots were established at various points along the railroads to serve the needs of passengers traveling throughout northeast Ohio. Depots were the focal point of communities--news arrived over their telegraphs, traveling salesmen gathered on the trackside platforms, depot staff maneuvered four-wheel wagons loaded with baggage, parcels, and milk cans, locals gathered to meet, greet, and send off family and friends. The depot was a veritable beehive of activity at train time. Railroad Depots of Northeast Ohio offers a glimpse into these golden years of train travel through the use of early postcards and photographs of selected depots and related structures.

Through photographs of depots, freight houses, and other railroad structures, long demolished yet an integral part of community development, "Railroad Depots of Northern Indiana" reviews the history of the cities and towns that used the rail to transport raw materials and finished manufactured products across the state.

Twelve railroad lines served west central Ohio around 1907 and were the lifeblood of the communities they ran through. Bellefontaine, Bradford, and Crestline became major terminals, and lesser known places like Dola, Ohio City, and Peoria also owe their existence to the iron horse. Around 300 depots served the west central region, with the earliest dating to the late 1840s. The depot was the center of activity in the smallest village to the largest city. Many of the depots no longer exist--victims of progress, nature, or neglect. Some survive as historical museums, various businesses, and residences; a few remain in railroad use. The proud history of railroading lives on in the restored depots at Bucyrus and Galion--two architectural gems of the Buckeye State. Railroad Depots of West Central Ohio shares a tale of the golden age of rail travel through vintage postcards and mid-20th-century photographs of selected depots and other railroad structures.

Springfield was the original destination of the two oldest railroad companies to lay rails in Ohio, the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad and the Little Miami Railroad. This would form the first rail link between Lake Erie and the Ohio River. Other routes became more important as rails eventually spread like spokes of a wheel from Cincinnati, and connections were made to Akron, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Marietta, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Toledo as well as many other cities by the late 1800s. Hundreds of depots were erected to serve train travelers, ranging from the smallest shelter to the standard combined passenger-freight building to the major city passenger terminal. Cincinnati, Dayton, and Springfield became railroad centers, and towns like Blanchester, Hamilton, Loveland, Middletown, Morrow, Wilmington, and Xenia, served by more than one line, became busy transfer points. With the decline of rail passenger service, depots became unnecessary--many were demolished. Railroad Depots of Southwest Ohio presents a pictorial look at a sampling of these grand structures when they were in their prime.