# Shawmont station

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Railway station in Philadelphia

Shawmont The former Shawmont Reading station in 2010 General information Location 7700 Nixon Street Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. System Former train station Owned by SEPTA Line Norristown Branch Platforms 1 side platform Tracks 2 Construction Platform levels 1 History Opened 1834 (PG&N) Closed 1996 Electrified February 5, 1933[1] Former services Preceding station SEPTA Following station Miquon toward Norristown–Elm Street Manayunk/​Norristown Line Ivy Ridge toward Penn Medicine Station Preceding station Reading Railroad Following station Miquon toward Elm Street Norristown Branch Glen Willow toward Philadelphia Shawmont Train Station, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad U.S. Historic district – Contributing property Interactive map of Shawmont Train Station, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Coordinates 40°2′38″N 75°15′0″W / 40.04389°N 75.25000°W / 40.04389; -75.25000 Part of Upper Roxborough Historic District (ID01000463[2]) Added to NRHP July 21, 1995 Location

**Shawmont** is a former train station in [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania](/source/Philadelphia%2C_Pennsylvania). It is located on Nixon Street in the [Roxborough](/source/Roxborough%2C_Philadelphia) section of [Lower Northwest Philadelphia](/source/Lower_Northwest_Philadelphia). Built by the [Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad](/source/Philadelphia%2C_Germantown_and_Norristown_Railroad), it later became part of the [Reading Railroad](/source/Reading_Railroad) and ultimately [SEPTA Regional Rail](/source/SEPTA_Regional_Rail)'s [R6 Norristown Line](/source/Manayunk%2FNorristown_Line). [SEPTA](/source/SEPTA) made the station a [whistle stop](/source/Whistle_stop) and closed its waiting room in 1991.[3] [SEPTA](/source/SEPTA) later closed the station in 1996.[4]

The station building became a part of the [Philadelphia Register of Historic Places](/source/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

The Shawmont station platform

The building that became Shawmont station was constructed in 1826 as the private country residence of Nathan Nathans.[5] The 18-by-36-foot (5.5 m × 11.0 m) stone house was constructed of local schist and its design is attributed to renowned architect [William Strickland](/source/William_Strickland_(architect)).[3] 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](/source/Philadelphia%2C_Germantown_and_Norristown_Railroad) (PG&N). The line's southern route along the [Schuylkill River](/source/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.[6]

On December 1, 1870, the PG&N was leased by the [Philadelphia and Reading Railway](/source/Philadelphia_and_Reading_Railway) (later the [Reading Company](/source/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](/source/Pennsylvania_Railroad) had built a station in nearby [Chester County](/source/Chester_County%2C_Pennsylvania), 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.[6]

By 1884, the [Pennsylvania Railroad](/source/Pennsylvania_Railroad) had joined the competition with the [Schuylkill Branch](/source/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.[3]

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

Railroad service declined after [World War II](/source/World_War_II), and the Pennsylvania Railroad closed its Shawmont station on October 30, 1960,[7] terminating all passenger service north of [Manayunk](/source/Manayunk_(PRR_station)). [SEPTA](/source/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](/source/New_York_Central_Railroad) to form the [Penn Central Railroad](/source/Penn_Central_Transportation_Company). 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](/source/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](/source/Reading%2C_Pennsylvania) and [Pottsville](/source/Pottsville%2C_Pennsylvania) in 1981.[3]

Shawmont station became a contributing property of the [Upper Roxborough Historic District](/source/Upper_Roxborough_Historic_District) in 1995,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] but was closed by SEPTA in 1996.[8] The last of the Brendel's descendants moved out of the station in 2013 after occupying the property for 104 years.[3]

In 2009, the building was added to the [Philadelphia Register of Historic Places](/source/Philadelphia_Register_of_Historic_Places), preserving it from potential destruction.[9] In 2018, the [Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission](/source/Delaware_Valley_Regional_Planning_Commission) gave $1 million to rehabilitate the former station.[9] Structural repair work finally began in February 2023.[10] As of August 2023, the exterior work was nearing completion, with the façade restored to its 1870 appearance.[11] When completed, SEPTA will seek a tenant for the building.[10] There are no plans to reactivate it as a train stop.[12]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["New Electric Schedule"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57806419/norristown-chestnut-hill-electric/). *The Scranton Times*. February 4, 1933. p. 12. Retrieved August 21, 2020 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-nris_2-0)** ["National Register Information System"](https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP). *[National Register of Historic Places](/source/National_Register_of_Historic_Places)*. [National Park Service](/source/National_Park_Service). July 9, 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-philanet.com_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-philanet.com_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-philanet.com_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-philanet.com_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-philanet.com_3-4) ["Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA) Railroads -- the Shawmont Station and the History of Roxborough / Manayunk"](http://philanet.com/Philadelphia/railroads/shawmont-station.html). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20251016152006/http://philanet.com/Philadelphia/railroads/shawmont-station.html) from the original on October 16, 2025. Retrieved May 20, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Endangered: Manayunk's Historic Shawmont Station"](https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/12/endangered-manayunks-historic-shawmont-station/). December 11, 2013. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241202133306/https://hiddencityphila.org/2013/12/endangered-manayunks-historic-shawmont-station/) from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Shaver, Davis (May 15, 2022). ["Capturing Shawmont Station before its $1,000,000 preservation begins – the oldest extant passenger rail station in America"](https://davisshaver.com/2022/03/15/capturing-shawmont-station-before-its-1000000-preservation-begins-the-oldest-extant-passenger-rail-station-in-america-2/). *davisshaver.com*. [Archived](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/) from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2022.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Breard_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Breard_6-1) Breard, William Louis. ["Shawmont Station Addendum (1826-2014) July 2014"](http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014_SHAWMONT_ADDENDUM.pdf) (PDF). *preservationalliance.com*. Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221204014227/http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014_SHAWMONT_ADDENDUM.pdf) (PDF) from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["PRR to Stop Service at Norristown Oct. 31"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23930356/prr-norristown-canning-october-18-1960/). *[The Philadelphia Inquirer](/source/The_Philadelphia_Inquirer)*. October 18, 1960. p. 35. Retrieved October 9, 2020 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Dougherty, Frank (October 25, 1996). ["Septa Board Cuts Service But Opposition Is Spirited"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151018195548/http://articles.philly.com/1996-10-25/news/25663717_1_septa-board-bus-routes-louis-gambaccini). *[Philadelphia Daily News](/source/Philadelphia_Daily_News)*. Archived from [the original](http://articles.philly.com/1996-10-25/news/25663717_1_septa-board-bus-routes-louis-gambaccini) on October 18, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_9-1) ["Historic Shawmont Train Station to be restored with $1M boost"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180131023914/https://philly.curbed.com/2018/1/29/16944484/shawmont-train-station-manayunk-restoration-dvrpc). *Curbed Philly*. Archived from [the original](https://philly.curbed.com/2018/1/29/16944484/shawmont-train-station-manayunk-restoration-dvrpc) on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CAWLEY_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CAWLEY_10-1) Cawley, Rick (February 17, 2023). ["SEPTA begins work on Shawmont Station restoration"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230217173149/https://www.timesherald.com/2023/02/17/septa-begins-work-on-shawmont-station-restoration/). *The Times Herald*. Norristown, Pennsylvania. Archived from [the original](https://www.timesherald.com/2023/02/17/septa-begins-work-on-shawmont-station-restoration/) on February 17, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Bagenstose, Kyle (August 29, 2023). ["Restoration of Historic Shawmont Station in Roxborough Nearing Completion"](https://hiddencityphila.org/2023/08/restoration-of-shawmont-station-in-roxborough-nearing-completion/). Hidden City Philadelphia CultureTrust. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723111502/https://hiddencityphila.org/2023/08/restoration-of-shawmont-station-in-roxborough-nearing-completion/) from the original on July 23, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Burkhart, M. T. (December 16, 2021). ["SEPTA Looks to Restore Oldest Surviving Passenger Station"](https://railfan.com/septa-looks-to-restore-oldest-surviving-passenger-station/). *Railfan & Railroad Magazine*. White River Productions. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260212132456/https://railfan.com/septa-looks-to-restore-oldest-surviving-passenger-station/) from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2023.

## External links

- [Shawmont Station (Philadelphia's Story by John Johnstone)](http://membrane.com/philanet/Philadelphia/railroads/Shawmont_Train_Station.html)

- [Shawmont station in 1929](https://i2.wp.com/images.phillypublishing.com/davisshaver/uploads/2018/04/Shawmont-Station-1929.jpg?ssl=1)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Shawmont station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawmont_station) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawmont_station?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.