History

Our station was built in July of 1891 for the late Akron and Chicago Junction Railroad before it was leased by the Baltimore and Ohio on a 999 year term. Built as a combined freight and passenger station, it served the people of Rittman until passenger service was cut in 1970. Chessie System and later CSX would use the building as a storage facility for general utilities until 2022 when we would start our campaign to save the structure.

Rittman and U.S. Presidents

Throughout the station's career, several U.S. presidents would pass by its bay window. Some of those presidents would include:

William Taft

Warren G. Harding

Ronald Reagan

George W. Bush

Rittman Press Article about Truman's Rittman stop

On October 7th, 1948, Harry Truman stopped in front of our station for a 5 minute Whistlestop speech for the 1948 Election. He was gifted with a box full of different products manufactured in Rittman. He ended up winning the 1948 election and became the 33rd president of the United States from 1949 to 1953.

Listen to Truman's Whistle Stop speech at Rittman

Maintenance of Way Shed

The station isn't the only historic railroad building that is getting saved as there is a second structure only 50 feet away. A little bit larger than the normal backyard garden shed, this building was used by the B&O's Maintenance of Way department to store tools and equipment that were used to maintain railroad infrastructure like track and wayside pole lines. One side of the building was devoted to tool and parts rack while the other side was to keep the railroad inspection car (hand pump car, and then later a motorcar/speeder once the combustion engine came around). This building is believed to have been built after the station was constructed. Once this structure is moved with the station, it is hoped to be used as a restroom or battery storage for solar power.

Example of a speeder like one that would have been stored in the shed. (Mike Mullins Photo)

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