Georgetown Train Station

Efforts to extend a rail line from Harrington to the harbor at Lewes began in 1857. Although the line reached Milford in 1859, further work was delayed until 1867, and by 1868 the rails had arrived at Georgetown. The extension to Lewes the next year, along with later connections to the Rehoboth resort and the lower Eastern Shore in the 1870s, brought unprecedented prosperity to the Delmarva Peninsula. Situated at the center of this network, Georgetown was transformed by population growth and a booming economy. The town's first passenger station stood immediately north of this site, but by the 1880s rising numbers of travelers created demand for a newer and larger facility, and the present station was completed in 1892. For many years it was a busy center of activity, but by the mid 20th century improved roads and the growing use of automobiles and trucks reduced demand for railroad services. Freight shipments continued, but passenger service ended in the spring of 1949. The station then served various railway office functions until its sale in 1972. After standing vacant, it was purchased by the Historic Georgetown Association in 1996, its exterior was extensively restored to its original appearance, and with completion of the interior renovation in 2003, the building resumed a role as a center of the community's economic and social life.

Georgetown, Delaware · United States