Save the Dansbury Depot
- by: Citizens for the Preservation of the Depot
- recipient: Pocono Area Residents
Permits have been filed to allow the demolition of the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station as early as Wednesday, July 21. The station was built in 1864 to serve passengers of the newly-completed Delaware Lackawana & Western Railroad, running from Hoboken, N.J. to Scranton, Pa.
A kitchen fire gutted a portion of the building in October 2009, having served as the Dansbury Depot restaurant for over 20 years, but the building is entirely intact and in no danger of collapse. News recently broke that a local developer plans to purchase the station, demolish it, and build a new multi-use building in its place, shocking Pocono area residents who mistakenly believed the current owner, East Stroudsburg Borough officials, and the preservation-funded Eastburg Community Alliance understood the irreplaceable historical value of this 146-year-old civic icon in the heart of community. While citizens and prominent leaders have reacted with outrage there is no indication that the looming disaster will be averted.
This station must not be demolished. We call on borough officials to embrace the wide outpouring of support in saving the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station and to:
- renounce its support of demolishing the depot;
- renounce its support in redeveloping this site;
- rescind its verbal agreements made to date with the developer that are necessary for him to pursue his redevelopment plan
- acknowledge this building's importance as an historical asset to the community's citizens and a cultural anchor to the downtown business district.
War troops, fallen war heroes, decades of Pocono tourists, and Delaware Valley school children are among the millions of passengers who have helped build this station's rich history. The building remained in use until 1968, and passenger service was eventually discontinued entirely on the DL&W line in the 1970s. The building fell into disrepair, was restored and adapted for use as a restaurant in the early 1980s.
Insist that the station sees its 150th anniversary in 2014.
A kitchen fire gutted a portion of the building in October 2009, having served as the Dansbury Depot restaurant for over 20 years, but the building is entirely intact and in no danger of collapse. News recently broke that a local developer plans to purchase the station, demolish it, and build a new multi-use building in its place, shocking Pocono area residents who mistakenly believed the current owner, East Stroudsburg Borough officials, and the preservation-funded Eastburg Community Alliance understood the irreplaceable historical value of this 146-year-old civic icon in the heart of community. While citizens and prominent leaders have reacted with outrage there is no indication that the looming disaster will be averted.
This station must not be demolished. We call on borough officials to embrace the wide outpouring of support in saving the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station and to:
- renounce its support of demolishing the depot;
- renounce its support in redeveloping this site;
- rescind its verbal agreements made to date with the developer that are necessary for him to pursue his redevelopment plan
- acknowledge this building's importance as an historical asset to the community's citizens and a cultural anchor to the downtown business district.
War troops, fallen war heroes, decades of Pocono tourists, and Delaware Valley school children are among the millions of passengers who have helped build this station's rich history. The building remained in use until 1968, and passenger service was eventually discontinued entirely on the DL&W line in the 1970s. The building fell into disrepair, was restored and adapted for use as a restaurant in the early 1980s.
Insist that the station sees its 150th anniversary in 2014.
We the undersigned have very little time to prove to East Stroudsburg Borough officials that there is widespread community that insists we must preserve the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station (Dansbury Depot), slated to be demolished as early as July 21, 2010. Every other DL&W train station between Scranton and the Delaware Water remains standing and intact: few have been as consistently integral to the their communities as the Eastburg station.
Please take a moment to add your name to this petition and add a few words why preserving our heritage is import to you, and spread the word to all of your friends and colleagues. Dozens of citizens are furiously working the phones with regional officials, community leaders, State officials to halt the demolition. How fast can we amass a giant list of citizens?
Sign PetitionSign PetitionPlease take a moment to add your name to this petition and add a few words why preserving our heritage is import to you, and spread the word to all of your friends and colleagues. Dozens of citizens are furiously working the phones with regional officials, community leaders, State officials to halt the demolition. How fast can we amass a giant list of citizens?
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