{{Short description|Railway station in Philadelphia}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox station | name=Shawmont | style=SEPTA |style2=SEPTA Former | type=Former train station | image=Nixon Lane Philly.JPG | image_caption=The former Shawmont Reading station in 2010 | address=7700 Nixon Street<br />[[Roxborough, Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S. | coordinates= | line=[[Norristown Branch]]<!-- the physical "line" is not the same as "services" which are detailed below --> | other= | structure= | platform=1 [[side platform]] | depth= | levels=1 | tracks=2 | parking= | bicycle= | passengers= | pass_year= | pass_percent= | pass_system= | opened=1834 (PG&N) | closed=1996 | rebuilt= | electrified=February&nbsp;5, 1933<ref>{{cite news |title=New Electric Schedule |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57806419/norristown-chestnut-hill-electric/ |accessdate=August 21, 2020 |work=The Scranton Times |date=February 4, 1933 |page=12|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} </ref> | accessible= | code= | owned=SEPTA | zone= | former= | other_services_header=Former services | other_services= {{Adjacent stations|system1=SEPTA |line1=Manayunk/Norristown|left1=Miquon|right1=Ivy Ridge |system2=Reading Company |line2=Norristown Branch|left2=Miquon|right2=Glen Willow }} | nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = Shawmont Train Station, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad | partof = Upper Roxborough Historic District | nrhp_type = cp | nocat = yes | image = | location = | coordinates = {{coord|40|2|38|N|75|15|0|W|display=inline,title}} | mapframe = yes | mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#{{rcr|SEPTA|Manayunk/Norristown}} |zoom=14 }} | built = | architect OR builder = | architecture = | added = July 21, 1995 | area = | partof_refnum = 01000463<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> }} }} '''Shawmont''' is a former train station in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]. It is located on Nixon Street in the [[Roxborough, Philadelphia|Roxborough]] section of [[Lower Northwest Philadelphia]]. Built by the [[Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad]], it later became part of the [[Reading Railroad]] and ultimately [[SEPTA Regional Rail]]'s [[Manayunk/Norristown Line|R6 Norristown Line]]. [[SEPTA]] made the station a [[whistle stop]] and closed its waiting room in 1991.<ref name="philanet.com">{{Cite web|url=http://philanet.com/Philadelphia/railroads/shawmont-station.html|title=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA) Railroads -- the Shawmont Station and the History of Roxborough / Manayunk|access-date=May 20, 2026|archive-date=October 16, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251016152006/http://philanet.com/Philadelphia/railroads/shawmont-station.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[SEPTA]] later closed the station in 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/12/endangered-manayunks-historic-shawmont-station/ |title=Endangered: Manayunk's Historic Shawmont Station |date=11 December 2013 |access-date=May 20, 2026 |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202133306/https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/12/endangered-manayunks-historic-shawmont-station/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The station building became a part of the [[Philadelphia Register of Historic Places]], and in 2018 $1 million was awarded to rehabilitate the building, although it will not serve as a train station once repairs are complete.

==History== [[File:Shawmont station.jpg|alt=Station platform signage|thumb|The Shawmont station platform]] The building that became Shawmont station was constructed in 1826 as the private country residence of Nathan Nathans.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shaver |first1=Davis |title=Capturing Shawmont Station before its $1,000,000 preservation begins – the oldest extant passenger rail station in America |url=https://davisshaver.com/2022/03/15/capturing-shawmont-station-before-its-1000000-preservation-begins-the-oldest-extant-passenger-rail-station-in-america-2/ |website=davisshaver.com |access-date=6 November 2022 |date=15 May 2022 |archive-date=December 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251216092037/https://davisshaver.com/2022/03/15/capturing-shawmont-station-before-its-1000000-preservation-begins-the-oldest-extant-passenger-rail-station-in-america-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The {{convert|18x36|ft|m|adj=on}} stone house was constructed of local schist and its design is attributed to renowned architect [[William Strickland (architect)|William Strickland]].<ref name="philanet.com"/> Nathans owned this house for only four years, as in 1830 he sold it to a local grain mill operator John Wise. The area soon entered a phase of rapid industrialization. The following year the Pennsylvania Legislature granted a charter to the [[Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad]] (PG&N). The line's southern route along the [[Schuylkill River]] came through by 1834 and in close proximity to the house. In 1835 rail service started and the house was sold to lumber businessman Henry Croskey who added it to his adjacent property. Croskey renovated the building as a passenger shelter and freight office for his lumber business and named it “Green Tree Station”. In 1857, Croskey sold Green Tree Station and its grounds to the Railroad.<ref name=Breard>{{cite web |last1=Breard |first1=William Louis |title=Shawmont Station Addendum (1826-2014) July 2014 |url=http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014_SHAWMONT_ADDENDUM.pdf |website=preservationalliance.com |publisher=Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia |access-date=6 November 2022 |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204014227/http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014_SHAWMONT_ADDENDUM.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

On December 1, 1870, the PG&N was leased by the [[Philadelphia and Reading Railway]] (later the [[Reading Company]]). The station then underwent extensive renovations. A bay window replaced the center doorway and the first floor altered to accommodate a telegraph operator and ticket window. A waiting room was created by removing the windows toward the platform and converted them into doorways. A rear addition provided housing for a resident Station Master. In 1873 the competing [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] had built a station in nearby [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]], which was also named “Green Tree”. The Reading then changed Green Tree Station in Philadelphia County to Shawmont Station, for local resident and inventor Thomas Shaw.<ref name=Breard />

By 1884, the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] had joined the competition with the [[Schuylkill Branch]], a line that ran parallel to the Norristown line with a Shawmont station of its own.

In 1909, the Brendel family took up residence in Shawmont station to become permanent stationmasters.<ref name="philanet.com"/>

The Pennsylvania Railroad electrified its line in 1930, and the Reading Company followed suit a year later.

Railroad service declined after [[World War II]], and the Pennsylvania Railroad closed its Shawmont station on October&nbsp;30, 1960,<ref>{{cite news |title=PRR to Stop Service at Norristown Oct. 31 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23930356/prr-norristown-canning-october-18-1960/ |accessdate=October 9, 2020 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=October 18, 1960 |page=35|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} </ref> terminating all passenger service north of [[Manayunk (PRR station)|Manayunk]]. [[SEPTA]] began arranging new contracts with the PRR and RDG to continue commuter rail services in the Philadelphia region in 1966. In 1968, the Pennsylvania merged with their much larger rival, the [[New York Central Railroad]] to form the [[Penn Central Transportation Company|Penn Central Railroad]]. Penn Central filed for bankruptcy on June 21, 1970. In 1971, the Reading filed for bankruptcy as well. In 1976, the Reading and Penn Central were both acquired by [[Conrail]], which provided commuter rail services under contract to SEPTA until January 1, 1983, when SEPTA assumed operations. SEPTA had already ended diesel service to [[Reading, Pennsylvania|Reading]] and [[Pottsville, Pennsylvania|Pottsville]] in 1981.<ref name="philanet.com"/>

Shawmont station became a contributing property of the [[Upper Roxborough Historic District]] in 1995,{{citation needed|date=August 2016}} but was closed by SEPTA in 1996.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-10-25/news/25663717_1_septa-board-bus-routes-louis-gambaccini | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018195548/http://articles.philly.com/1996-10-25/news/25663717_1_septa-board-bus-routes-louis-gambaccini | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 18, 2015 | title=Septa Board Cuts Service But Opposition Is Spirited | work=[[Philadelphia Daily News]] | date=October 25, 1996 | accessdate=August 14, 2016 | author=Dougherty, Frank}}</ref> The last of the Brendel's descendants moved out of the station in 2013 after occupying the property for 104 years.<ref name="philanet.com"/>

In 2009, the building was added to the [[Philadelphia Register of Historic Places]], preserving it from potential destruction.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://philly.curbed.com/2018/1/29/16944484/shawmont-train-station-manayunk-restoration-dvrpc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131023914/https://philly.curbed.com/2018/1/29/16944484/shawmont-train-station-manayunk-restoration-dvrpc|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2018|title=Historic Shawmont Train Station to be restored with $1M boost|work=Curbed Philly|access-date=2018-01-30}}</ref> In 2018, the [[Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission]] gave $1 million to rehabilitate the former station.<ref name=":0" /> Structural repair work finally began in February 2023.<ref name=CAWLEY>{{cite news | last = Cawley | first = Rick | date = 17 February 2023 | title = SEPTA begins work on Shawmont Station restoration | url = https://www.timesherald.com/2023/02/17/septa-begins-work-on-shawmont-station-restoration/ | url-status = | work = The Times Herald | location = Norristown, Pennsylvania | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230217173149/https://www.timesherald.com/2023/02/17/septa-begins-work-on-shawmont-station-restoration/ | archive-date = 17 February 2023 | access-date = 16 June 2023 }}</ref> As of August 2023, the exterior work was nearing completion, with the façade restored to its 1870 appearance.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bagenstose |first1=Kyle |title=Restoration of Historic Shawmont Station in Roxborough Nearing Completion |url=https://hiddencityphila.org/2023/08/restoration-of-shawmont-station-in-roxborough-nearing-completion/ |publisher=Hidden City Philadelphia CultureTrust |access-date=17 February 2024 |date=29 August 2023 |archive-date=July 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250723111502/https://hiddencityphila.org/2023/08/restoration-of-shawmont-station-in-roxborough-nearing-completion/ |url-status=live }}</ref> When completed, SEPTA will seek a tenant for the building.<ref name=CAWLEY /> There are no plans to reactivate it as a train stop.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burkhart |first1=M. T. |title=SEPTA Looks to Restore Oldest Surviving Passenger Station |url=https://railfan.com/septa-looks-to-restore-oldest-surviving-passenger-station/ |website=Railfan & Railroad Magazine |publisher=White River Productions |access-date=17 June 2023 |date=16 December 2021 |archive-date=February 12, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212132456/https://railfan.com/septa-looks-to-restore-oldest-surviving-passenger-station/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://membrane.com/philanet/Philadelphia/railroads/Shawmont_Train_Station.html Shawmont Station (Philadelphia's Story by John Johnstone)] *[https://i2.wp.com/images.phillypublishing.com/davisshaver/uploads/2018/04/Shawmont-Station-1929.jpg?ssl=1 Shawmont station in 1929] {{SEPTA Regional Rail stations}}

[[Category:Former SEPTA Regional Rail stations]] [[Category:Former Reading Company stations]] [[Category:Former railway stations in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1834]] [[Category:Railway stations in the United States closed in 1996]] [[Category:1834 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1996 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Historic district contributing properties in Pennsylvania]]