A Rural Vacation Spot

Beginning in 1873, the picturesque Viaduct Station Hotel complemented the Thomas Viaduct in the town of Relay as both a rural vacation spot and a comfortable place for passengers to change trains. Built as a forerunner of many notable station hotels constructed by the B&O and other railroads, it was designed by B&O architect E. Francis Baldwin in a Gothic style whose extravagant stonework, grand towers, and many windows belied its modest size, and an exquisite Victorian garden adorned its exterior. Relay proved to be a poor location for such a magnificent structure because by the 1870s it had ceased to be a major interchange point for intercity passenger trains. Although the station attracted a trickle of vacationers, by the 20th century it was used primarily for employee housing, offices, and storage, and it was demolished in 1950.

Arbutus, Maryland · United States