Train Station - Boston & Maine Railroad Depot 1910 Business Card

Colorized photo from 1910 Original Title - Boston & Maine Railroad Depot Location: Salem, Ma, Riley Plaza, Washington & Norman St. This unusual castle shaped train depot was built in 1847, which actually replaced another station that was here. The track itself ran into a tunnel, right about where that fence is. Currently this tunnel resides down the street. When they designed this structure, they didn't know what a train station should have looked like. The architect created this building after he went to England was inspired by the castles there. It was built of Massachusetts granite and it stood here till 1957. While many called it grand, many thought it was more of an eye sore. In fact there is a story of a railroad fan by the name of Lucius Beebe, his father hated this building. So much so, that when Salem had the great fire of winter 1915, he bundled the kids into the car and drove to it. Just to see it burned to the ground and then turned into rubble to stop the fire. However it didn't happen, the fire stopped short of that, and he was simply furious. The main reasons it was hated was because it was filthy, drafty, cold, it stunk, and it was always full of pigeons.