Chesapeake Beach railway station


The Chesapeake Beach railway station is a historic railway station located at Chesapeake Beach, Calvert County, Maryland, United States. It is composed of two one-story, hip-roofed sections; one part was once an open passenger boarding area that was later enclosed for storage. The station was erected in 1898, for the Chesapeake Beach Railway. It is now operated as a railway museum.
The Chesapeake Beach Railway Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Museum

The station was dedicated as a museum to the Calvert County Board of Commissioners by Gerald and Fred Donovan in 1979. The Calvert County Historical Society is responsible for maintaining the building and its exhibits. The museum features artifacts, exhibits and programs commemorating the Chesapeake Beach Railway and local history.

History

The station was originally opened as a stop along the railway when Otto Mears sought to create a resort town at the Chesapeake Bay between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Mears and his business associates established hotels, beaches, casinos and a boardwalk. On June 9, 1900, the first train arrived at the station. However, 35 years later, the Great Depression and the growing popularity of cars led to a decline in business. The last train left the station on April 15, 1935.