Shawville Walking Tour

The arrival of the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway in Shawville in the winter of 1886 sparked perhaps the largest party in the village’s history. The grand banquet that night at Hynes’ Hall was talked about decades later. The coming of the steel rails was expected to bring Shawville and indeed the entire county an era of prosperity. For the most part, those expectations were realized.

Farm produce by the thousands of tons was shipped from the grand station that was situated where we stand. People and freight came in and out of town on a daily basis. The town grew and prospered. Many of the buildings that we will see were built during this thriving era.

The march of time however, continued unabated and the age of rail transportation slowly died in Shawville. The automobile began to affect passenger traffic on the line and service was reduced.  In 1959 passenger service was discontinued. Freight declined and by the 1980s the decision had been made to abandon the tracks. By 1984 the rail line which had been so eagerly anticipated was torn up. The station which was once the site of so much activity was threatened with destruction, but through the efforts of local people it was saved. The station which was once the site of so much activity was threatened with destruction, but through the efforts of local people it was saved to the museum it is today. The railway is long gone, but perhaps it is easy to imagine a gleaming locomotive steaming around the corner, connecting Shawville to the world.