Sacandaga Station - station history
HISTORY • RESTORATION • USE • PARCEL • DOCK • TENNIS CLUB
Short History of the Station
The Sacandaga Station was built by the FJ&G railroad in 1922. This was the second station in Sacandaga Park. The first station was a few hundred yards farther south, on the the other side of McKinley Ave. There was a loading platform prior to the first station. The change of location is likely to reflect the change in the railroad's business focus around that time - from cottage rental and hotel guests, to mass tourism visiting the midway and amusement park directly east of the new station. The station building is representative of the many small railroad stations that served rural America at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a typical small town station, one story in height, with a shallow and broad overhanging roof. The exterior of the wood-framed structure is surfaced with wood shingles and is punctuated with an assortment of doors and windows. The exterior retains parts of its original design and integrity. The octagonal bay that once was located at the South end of the building, has been removed; its foundation footprint can still be seen on the platform. The tree that used to grow through the roof overhang of the octagonal is still there and is in good health. The bell that was located on top of the roof (to signal the imminent departure of the last Sunday train) had disappeared but has been found. The building is essentially rectangular, aside from the widened overhangs at the center of the building; it is 105 feet long and 24 feet wide (see floor plan). Several commercial establishments (ice cream vending, beauty parlor, antique store, pinball machines) and a post office resided in the station at various points in time. The interior of the building has been changed considerably since its use as a railroad station ended in 1930 with the flooding of the Sacandaga Valley. Some time in the 1960's, the overhang of the building on the east side and the pass-through on the far north, were enclosed. The building was quite heavily vandalized after the post office closed in 1968. In 1972, the four interior walls were demolished and the two east-west passages blocked by new exterior walls. The east side of the building was then converted into five stables. On the south side of the station a small apartment was created for the horse groom. Later in the 80's, the station served as a warehouse. The original railroad right-of-way in front of the station remains clearly visible. The tracks were originally flanked by dirt roads, for use by carriages and horse traffic. The immediate surroundings of the Station are wooded with mature white pines that tower over the Station building. The Station is one of the few remaining FJ&G institutional transportation/resort buildings in Sacandaga Park. The former dance hall next door is still there - now used for boat storage. About sixty of the cottages remain. On March 7, 2003 Sacandaga Station was officially listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.
* Thanks to Saul B. Kalbfeld for many of the old photographs of the station


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