19th century This station was originally built by the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad in 1874, which had earlier acquired the
Little Schuylkill Navigation, Railroad and Coal Company. It is a one-story brick building that was designed in the
Italianate style. In 1880, an addition was made to the original 1874, giving it a T-plan. In 1885, a freight house was added.
20th century The station ceased train operations in 1961 and was formally abandoned in 1981. In 1984, a local family offered to purchase the railroad station and proposed that the building would be turned into a museum, similar to
Steamtown, U.S.A. in
Scranton. On December 26, 1985, it was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places as
Reading Railroad Passenger Station—Tamaqua.
21st century Following a $1.5 million restoration, the building was reopened in 2004 as a heritage center. In 2023, the station was featured on a
USPS Forever stamp in a 5-stamp "Railroad Stations" series. The stamp illustrations were made by Down the Street Designs, and Derry Noyes served as the art director. ==References==