HISTORY

OCTOBER 30, 1902

"Around midnight either an explosion of gas from a cellar heater or a shower of sparks from a passing locomotive was alleged too have caused a fire which completely destroyed the passenger station, freight house buildings and express office of the Lackawanna at Delaware Water Gap. The Union News Company stand on the platform and a dwelling opposite the station also burned down; the nearby Delaware House was scorched but not seriously damaged. The fire was discovered by D. C. Staples, the ticket agent."
WARREN JOURNAL, November 7, 1902, Page 1

MAY 1, 1903

"The Lackawanna Railroad began the construction of a $20,000 station at Delaware Water Gap to replace the structure that had been destroyed by fire."
BELVIDERE APOLLO

OCTOBER 9 - 10, 1903

"One of the most destructive floods in the Delaware Valley washed away or seriously damaged ten bridges between Belvidere and Trenton, including the Bel-Del bridge at Martin's Creek. The river level at Easton was 40.5 ft.; at Phillipsburg it was 38.1 ft. The new Lackawanna Water Gap station was flooded to the windowsills. Bel-Del service was severed for about a week."
BELVIDERE APOLLO, October 16, 1903.

FEBRUARY 12, 1904

"The Lackawanna raised the level of their tracks 18 inches at the Water Gap. The railroad is now ready for the next flood."
BELVIDERE APOLLO

APRIL 28, 1904

"The new Lackawanna station at the Water Gap was completed and opened for occupancy. Work on the structure began in July, 1903."
STROUDSBURG TIMES

October 2, 1949

The daily passenger train of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran between Trenton and East Stroudsburg was discontinued between Phillipsburg and East Stroudsburg on its Monday thru Saturday trip. The daily train continued to operate between Trenton and Phillipsburg. However, the Pennsylvania Railroad continued to operate a Sunday only passenger train between Phillipsburg and East Stroudsburg.

January 10, 1951

The New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners refused the Pennsylvania Railroad permission to eliminate its Sunday and holidays only passenger train between East Stroudsburg and Phillipsburg. (Trains No 385 and 386).

January 15, 1952

The public timetable issued by the Lackawanna Railroad this date shows for the first time no mainline passenger trains making positive stops at Delaware Water Gap. However, this timetable also shows Trains No. 47 and 11 (westbound) and Train No. 2 (eastbound) as a flag stop. And Train No. 5 will stop at Delaware Water Gap on the following dates only: January 1; May 30; July 4; September 2; November 33; and December 25.

April 20, 1952

The Sunday only Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train between Phillipsburg and East Stroudsburg made its last run. After more than 96 years, there was no passenger service north of Phillipsburg.

September 27, 1953

DL&W employee timetable No. 104 which went into effect at 2:01 AM this date indicates that no passenger train makes a stop at Delaware Water Gap passenger station.

November 28, 1958

The Borough of Delaware Water Gap buys the vacant Delaware Water Gap station from the DL&W for use as town offices. This use never materializes, and the station becomes a meeting place for the Boy Scouts, and later a storage and staging facility for town maintenance forces. Neglect and vandalism have led to severe deterioration by the mid nineties, and the Borough considers demolition.

January 1, 1999

The station is leased by the Lackawanna Chapter, R&LHS, with the eventual goal of restoration and return to the economic infrastructure of the Pocono region.

A NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION FROM
THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
ON THE HISTORIC IMPORTANCE OF THE WATER GAP STATION

The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Water Gap Station located in the Borough of Delaware Water Gap is locally significant under criterion 'A' in the area of Transportation for its role in the development of area railroad transportation and, in particular, the Pocono resort industry. Both the Water Gap Station and the resort industry it supported have made an important contribution to local and regional history. In addition, the station is significant under criterion 'C' in the area of Architecture as it is one of the finer examples of railroad station architecture along the DL&W Railroad. Its design reflects the high regard in which the DL&W held its tourist patrons, and was constructed in an era when the railroad was changing architectural styles and materials, which made it unique to the railroad. The period of significance begins on April 28, 1904, when the Water Gap Station was opened, and ends on September 27, 1953, when service to the by then renamed to Delaware Water Gap station ended.

	HISTORY