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APSL Nears Acquisition Of B&O Paw Paw Depot

APSL Nears Acquisition Of B&O Depot In Paw Paw, WV

Published: July 10, 2026

Preserving a Piece of B&O History: The Historic Depot at Paw Paw, West Virginia

Nestled along the banks of the Potomac River in the quiet town of Paw Paw, West Virginia, stands one of the few remaining intact 19th-century stations of the legendary Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Designed by the prolific railroad architect E. Francis Baldwin and completed in 1882, the modest brick depot once served as a vital link between this Appalachian community and the wider world. Today, after decades of quiet abandonment, a dedicated preservation effort by the Allegany Preservation Society Limited (APSL) is racing to secure its future—having already raised approximately 90 percent of the funds needed to purchase the property from CSX Transportation.

An early 20th century view of the Baltimore & Ohio's elegant depot in Paw Paw, West Virginia.

Rails Reach the Potomac Bends

Railroad construction first arrived in the Paw Paw area in 1838 as the Baltimore & Ohio pushed westward from Harpers Ferry toward Cumberland, Maryland. The B&O reached Cumberland in 1842—eight years ahead of the competing Chesapeake & Ohio Canal—transforming the small settlement into an important transportation and commercial hub. By 1845, a small combination passenger-and-freight depot stood at the site, serving what was then often called “Isaac Baker’s Depot.” The town grew around the railroad and canal traffic, supporting orchards, tanneries, sawmills, and general stores that shipped goods via rail.

The original low-line main track snaked through the famous “Paw Paw Bends” of the Potomac. In 1914 the B&O completed the Magnolia Cutoff, a major realignment featuring tunnels and bridges that straightened the route and bypassed much of the old alignment through town. The 1882 depot remained in use on the original low line for local service even after the mainline shift.

Baldwin’s 1882 “Medium Brick” Depot

In 1882 the B&O replaced the earlier 1845 structure with a handsome new station designed by Ephraim Francis Baldwin (1837–1916), the railroad’s principal architect from 1872 onward. Baldwin, working later with partner Josias Pennington, created roughly 130 stations and related structures for the B&O and its subsidiaries. His designs—often in brick or wood with Queen Anne and Victorian Gothic flourishes—remain among the most picturesque and beloved in American railroad architecture. Notable survivors include the iconic stations at Point of Rocks and Rockville, Maryland, and Oakland, Maryland.

The Paw Paw depot is described as a “medium brick” building featuring a distinctive jerkin-head (clipped gable) roof and restrained but elegant detailing typical of Baldwin’s standardized smaller-town stations. It retains much of its original footprint, brickwork, and roof structure (now sheathed in modern asphalt shingles). As one of the few largely unaltered 19th-century B&O stations still standing, it is considered historically significant by the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office and has been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

For decades the station handled both passengers and freight for Paw Paw’s agricultural and industrial economy. By the 1930s as many as six trains a day still served the community. The last regular passenger train stopped in 1961; that same year the B&O removed the mainline trackage from the old low-line alignment through town. The building later saw limited use under Chessie System and CSX before being largely vacated.

From Active Station to Preservation Priority

In the decades following passenger service abandonment, the depot endured as a quiet landmark—boarded up, used occasionally for storage, and kept secure with a sound roof thanks in part to local attention. Ownership remained with CSX Transportation. The surrounding original track bed is still visible, and the building sits near other historic structures that have recently earned National Register listings, including the 1893 Old Mayor’s Office & Lockup, the 1876 St. Charles Catholic Mission Church, the 1928 Paw Paw Black School, and the 1909 Senator P.E. Nixon House.

A Collaborative Rescue Effort

In late 2025 the Allegany Preservation Society Limited, a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with members across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, formally launched efforts to acquire and restore the depot. Working in close partnership with the Town of Paw Paw, APSL began negotiations with CSX under a Purchase and Sale Agreement. The society’s vision is clear: stabilize and restore the building as a museum and education center focused on local and railroad history, a community gathering space, and the operational home of APSL itself. Plans also include pursuing formal National Register designation for long-term protection.

As of early July 2026, APSL reports that generous public support has secured approximately 90 percent of the funds required to complete the purchase from CSX. Remaining costs cover surveying, closing expenses, and other due-diligence items. One practical hurdle has been locating a local land surveyor who carries the specialized insurance CSX requires for work on its property—a challenge the group is actively working to resolve.

APSL President Trevor Laber has emphasized the project’s broader meaning: “The Paw Paw Station is a landmark in every sense. Its restoration honors not only the history of the Baltimore and Ohio but also the community that grew around it. As our nation nears its 250th anniversary and the bicentennial of American rail, this effort is a reminder of what preservation can accomplish when vision meets cooperation.”

Significance

Small-town stations like Paw Paw’s rarely survive the 20th and 21st centuries with their integrity intact. This Baldwin design is a tangible link to the era when the B&O was America’s pioneering railroad and when rural West Virginia communities thrived on the rhythm of the rails. Restoring it will not only save a rare architectural survivor but will create a living educational resource and tourist draw for the Potomac Highlands—connecting new generations to the industrial heritage that shaped the region.

For those interested in supporting the final push, donations and information about the project can be found through the Allegany Preservation Society Limited at https://www.alleganyrailhistory.com/. With the finish line in sight, the historic B&O depot at Paw Paw stands poised for a second life—once again a place of connection, community, and pride.

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