1874 – The present passenger station was built to replace an original wooden station that was destroyed by fire.
The railroad excavated the hillside at the rear of the building site, removing tons of rock to create a flat area for the new structure. It was larger than the former station, designed in an Italianate, Victorian-style with an exterior facade of red brick and natural brownstone. A flagpole and six ornate chimneys protruding from the roof completed the structure.
The station featured a T-shaped floor plan with a two-story central concourse, restaurant, men’s and women’s waiting rooms, ticket office and restrooms. Few train stations of the era were built with restaurant facilities. The size, style and amenities of the new passenger depot reflected the importance of Tamaqua as a major railroad hub of the Anthracite Region.
