Woodbury Railroad Station

Woodbury's only surviving railroad station located at the corner of Railroad Ave. and Cooper St., is an example of Eastern Stick style architecture. Built in 1883, it features a hipped roof with slate shingles and decorative "stick work" shown in the exposed porch rafters. The West Jersey run depot and subsequent Woodbury Station was Woodbury's epicenter for social and economic growth. Not only did G.G. Green's endeavors, both financial and personal, find their epicenter here, but it was the site of whistle stops by the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, W.H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson (both as Gov. of NJ, and as Presidential candidate) and many others (Fahs, 2009). The Woodbury Station also served Philadelphia commuters who established homes in Woodbury's new East Side District. Vegetables from surrounding farms, manufactured goods from nearby factories, and even locally made patent medicines were shipped to market through this distinguished station. By 1917 there was more than 139 daily trains passing thru the Woodbury Train Station ("About woodbury station," 2010).

In 1996, thanks to the Woodbury Olde-City Restoration Committee and a grant from the NJ Historic Trust the station was completely restored. Nev Fahs, a Woodbury resident, local history buff and preservation carpenter had the pleasure to work on the station during this time. Fahs (2009) remarks on the condition of the building before restoration: The roof sagged and leaked, windows were broken and long painted shut, and the structure on the first floor was in danger of collapse from fatigue, rot, and water damage. The roof line of the platform apron was as wavy as spaghetti. Its condition only hinted at the glory days when G.G. Green parked his [railroad] car there, or when it was one of the quaint stops of the Cape May line, carrying Philadelphians and others to the shore every summer.

Sixteen years on, and the building still looks great. It is a testament to the lasting nature of Historic Preservation and a fine example of successful Adaptive Reuse. The building now houses a popular New Orleans cuisine style restaurant, The Woodbury Station Café. For more details (and some great stories) on the restoration work perfomed on the station see Fahs' blog HERE.

About woodbury station cafe. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.woodburystationcafe.com/about.html

Fahs, N. (2009, August 17). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://preservationcarpentry.blogspot.com/2009/08/woodbury-train-station-part-ii.html

View in Woodbury from 1844

"The annexed view was taken on the N. bank of the creek, near the residence of Mrs. Harriet Armstrong ; on the left is the terminating point of the railroad from camden. The large building, near the centre of the view, is the Friends meeting-house. The cupola of the courthouse is seen in the distance. There are in Woodbury the county buildings, all brick, excepting the prison, which is of stone ; 1 Friends meeting-house, 1 Presbyterian church, (a large handsome brick structure,) a Methodist church, also of brick, 1 newspaper printing-office, 12 mercantile stores, 2 classical schools, an academy, 2 public libraries, several benevolent societies, 110 dwellings, and about 1,000 inhabitants. Several small vessels sail from here to Philadelphia with the produce of the country. The village is neatly built, and has many fine dwellings. In its vicinity are many fine orchards of apples and plums. Woodbury was first settled in 1684, by Richard Wood, a native of Perry (? - Bury), in Lancashire, England. He had come over with the first settlers of Philadelphia. Leaving his family in that city, he ascended the (Woodbury) creek in a canoe, and, with the aid of the Indians, erected a rude dwelling. The whole process of building, and removing his family, was accomplished in the short space of one week. A brother shortly after arrived, and settling higher up the stream, named the locality Woodbury." (Barber & Howe, 1844)

Barber, J. W., & Howe, H. (1844). Historical collections of the state of new jersey. (p. 512). Pub. for the authors, by S. Tuttle.