Havre de Grace – PRR – Maryand Train Station
Harford County – Maryland
Torn down years ago – site near current post office
Station North was Perryville (Cecil County) and station South was Swan Creek (Harford County)
The first train depot site I could find was along the Susquehanna River, near where ferryboats once sailed to connect Harford County to Cecil County. In 1867, a depot was opened on the shore and was later torn down in 1892, with the newer station being described as one of the nicest along the railroad line. The old Station property was converted into a ” lawn” and remains that today as a small waterfront park. 
In 1852, ice on the Susquehanna River was so thick railroad tracks were placed directly on the ice to create a “Ice Bridge”, which lasted until the ice began to melt and the track was taken up. It had been used to cross freight over the river.
In 1888 , A train struck and killed a man on the tracks.
A year earlier in 1887, there was a crash along the PW&B tracks between two trains, resulting in the death of one and many others injured.
1900, plans were being made for a direct train route to Belair from Havre de Grace. They were never completed.
1920 – Horse Races at the nearby track had trains from Baltimore packed with people.
1935 , Floods in the area affected train travel.
The “newer” station shown above was near where the Town Post Office stands today. The Trains still go by but there is no trace that there had ever been a train station here.
The B&O Railroad also had a train station in Havre de Grace.
A 1970 era road map of Havre de Grace shows the old railroad station, near the High School and Post Office, and it appears it was still there back then. The track back then were labeled ” Penn Central RR”.. I believe the station stopped passenger service around 1967, with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Apparently it burned down in 1968. There was a local regulation that the firemen were not allowed to spray an electrified railroad line, which made fighting the fire difficult. In later years, the mayor of Havre de Grace owned the old station to store car batteries in for a service station he owned nearby. “Tramps” were known to use the old station in later years to sleep inside.
You must be logged in to post a comment.