The Westerly train station is situated in downtown Westerly, Rhode Island, located, appropriately, on Railroad Avenue. It currently serves Amtrak's Northeast Regional rail line. It was originally built in 1912 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
"Built in 1913, Westerly Station is a focal downtown Westerly landmark and an important component of the Westerly Downtown National Register Historic District. The station is a large, ornate example of the Mission style, which was adopted by the New Haven Railroad for several types of buildings during a facility reconstruction program initiated in the early twentieth century. The construction of the station coincided with a major civic improvement campaign in Westerly that resulted in the construction of several other prominent local landmark buildings in the downtown area and the enhancement of the city's transportation infrastructure. Westerly Station continues to serve Amtrak railroad passengers today." SOURCE
Westerly Station History
"Resembling the “great house” of a Mexican hacienda with its arcades and roofs of Spanish tile, the Amtrak depot in Westerly looks out of place in the cool clime of Rhode Island, but is representative of a period in American architecture when designers felt free to draw on a myriad of inspirations from across history and cultures. Constructed in 1912 by the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad—commonly referred to as the “New Haven”—it was one of a handful of Spanish Revival style stations built by the company in the early 20th century across southern New England. Interest in the country’s colonial Spanish ties was strong due to the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as states that same year.
The need for a new station as well as a nearby freight warehouse was necessitated by a curve reduction project undertaken by the New Haven. In many ways, the new station’s picturesque and somewhat exotic architecture was an appropriate choice for Westerly, which by the late 19th century had become a gateway to the South County coast. The beaches and coves of the undulating shoreline were favored by wealthy elite that summered in villages such as Watch Hill. Many arrived by train from Boston and New York, and the station would have been their introduction to the summer of fun and splendor to follow.
Approached from Railroad Avenue, the symmetrical structure is easily divided into three distinct parts: the center block and wings to the north and south. The center block rises to one-and-a-half stories, and features an attic level delineated by a stone beltcourse above which are located clerestory windows. To the sides, the wings are slightly lower at only one story, and project beyond the center block to create a shallow, welcoming forecourt at the front of the building. Further enticing travelers, an arcade runs across the facade between the two wings; here, people can wait free of the rain, snow, or hot sun.
Although constructed of rich red, textured brick laid in Flemish bond, most of the building is covered in stucco to keep with the Spanish Revival aesthetic. The brick is instead used to highlight important structural components of the station, such as the base and the quoins. Spanish design is especially noticeable in the choice of roofing material: tejas, or curved red clay tiles. The hipped roofs all display deep eaves that cast strong shadows onto the station walls when the sun shines bright in the summer sky. They also offer passengers some protection from inclement weather while they wait outside for the arrival of the train. Peeking out from beneath the eaves are coved rafter tails that add another decorative element to the roof line, and they are further complemented by paired, heavy brackets on the center block.
To finish off the streetside façade, the architect added a touch of grandeur through the use of tan terracotta decoration. An arched parapet breaks the roofline and is crowned by a scrolled cartouche, or shield, featuring a “W” for the town. Pilasters with Corinthian capitals bear the arch and also support urns with flames of fire that traditionally symbolize the eternal spirit of humankind. Underneath the cartouche is a decorative, circular, inset stone panel framed with a wreath of Laurus nobilis, or bay laurels, which since ancient times have symbolized victory and honor. Below the panel, the year of construction and the railroad’s name take center stage. The symbolism of the urns and wreath indicates that in 1912, the New Haven perhaps had a very positive view of its own power and longevity—not without reason, as by the 1920s, the railroad had more than 2,000 miles in its portfolio and it was estimated that it carried 10 percent of American passenger rail traffic.
On the center of the trackside façade there is a projecting rectangular bay with windows on all three sides. It corresponds with the placement of the ticket desk inside, meaning that the station manager could get up from his desk, and without leaving his office, peer out the windows for an unobstructed view down the tracks. Carved wood brackets support a generous canopy along the platform. The adjacent wings were used to store packages and parcels as well as baggage. To reach the far side of the tracks, passengers descend into a “subway” or underground walkway; the entrances to the staircases on the north and south side of the tracks are protected by small stuccoed structures whose hipped roofs and arches mimic those of the depot.
The loftiness of the main waiting room is emphasized by the sunlight that streams through the large double-hung sash windows and those at the clerestory. Although the configuration of the space has varied over time, the five-sided ticket desk remains in place. Its windows are framed by carved wood pilasters that support an entablature and cornice, while the grills display a Greek key motif. Above the central window is a clock that has kept passengers aware of the passing minutes for almost a century.
In the late 1990s, the state of Rhode Island purchased the Westerly station. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), working with the town and Amtrak, proceeded to plan and execute a full restoration of the building that returned it to its 1920s appearance while making allowances for modern mechanical systems such as air conditioning and electrical. The project scope, budgeted at roughly $2 million, included roof replacement, restoration of the waiting room plaster and woodwork, and cleaning and repair of the exterior. A grand black-tie “Function at the Junction” party was held in 1999 to celebrate the completion of the project. In 2005, RIDOT received $160,000 in federal grants through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Enhancements program, which was then matched with a $40,000 local contribution. The funds were used for operations and maintenance at the neighboring Westerly and Kingston stations." SOURCE
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad History
"The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (reporting mark NH), commonly known as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968. It served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts; its primary connections included Boston and New York.
The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, like many Eastern U.S. railroads, resulted from mergers, consolidations, and leases. The railroad gathered nearly all the lines in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts.
On August 6, 1872, the NY&NH and the H&NH were consolidated as the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (or "New Haven" for short, using the acronym NH). The new railroad had close affiliations with the Housatonic and Naugatuck lines (the latter followed the river of that name up to Waterbury and Winsted). It acquire control of the Canal Line in 1881 (the lease had ended in 1869), leased the Air Line (New Haven and Willimantic), and bought the Hartford & Connecticut Valley (Hartford to Old Saybrook) in 1882. In 1892, the NH leased the New York, Providence & Boston Railroad (which had leased the Providence & Worcester), and in 1893 leased the OC, which was an all-rail route under one management between Boston and New York." SOURCE
"Sitting on the south shore of Rhode Island, the town of Westerly is a quiet residential community in the winter, swelling in the summer to accommodate tourists eager to explore the local beaches, Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island Sound. Just over the border from Connecticut, Westerly is conveniently located to the Aquarium at Mystic, as well as the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos. Nearby, the picturesque village of Watch Hill features ocean views, ice cream shops, and craft boutiques." SOURCE