Stewartstown: Railroad Heritage and Birdlife

For a stay in Stewartstown, railroad history and the planned wildlife habitat at the Hopewell Area Recreation Complex offer two distinct themes. If you are looking for a hotel in Stewartstown, considering your travel interests can help you get a sense of the area: the Stewartstown Railroad is known for its route and construction history, as well as excursion rides; the Hopewell complex, for its documented range of bird species. This can help you decide which side of Stewartstown you would like to focus on when planning your trip.

Railroad Route and Excursion Rides

The Stewartstown Railroad was chartered in 1884 and is among the oldest continuously operating common-carrier railroads. Its route is more than 7.4 miles long and runs from Stewartstown to a connection with the former Northern-Central Railway (NCR) in New Freedom. The railroad offers passenger excursions through the Deer Creek Valley and its rolling, wooded landscape. The railroad also includes the historic 1943 Plymouth switcher locomotive “Mighty-Mo.” The railroad theme therefore encompasses the route connection, scenic rides, and a historic locomotive. Schedules may change; check the date if you plan to take an excursion ride.

Station and Railroad Buildings

Stewartstown Station was built in 1914 as the second station in Stewartstown. It is one of seven Stewartstown Railroad structures listed in the National Historic Registry. The station contains a waiting room, a ticket window, and a freight house. Next to it is the Museum Building, acquired in 2017. It serves as the Stewartstown Railroad’s visitor center and headquarters, and also houses the Friends of Stewartstown Railroad gift shop, modern restrooms, and notable items from railroad history. The station and Museum Building thus have different roles: the station is a historic structure with the railroad functions described above, while the adjacent building combines a visitor center and headquarters.

Local History and Historical Society

The Stewartstown Area Historical Society preserves and restores historic public buildings, structures, and monuments related to the Borough of Stewartstown, York County, and the immediately surrounding area. It also collects and exhibits buildings, objects, districts, locations, sites, and areas significant to the history or culture of these places. Its work therefore encompasses both the preservation of historic structures and collections, exhibits, and places.

Postal history also offers a specific glimpse into the development of the town’s name. Stewartstown had its own post office in 1828. At Anthony Stewart’s urging, and with the support of Judge Adam Ebaugh, the Post Office Department changed the community’s postmark to “Stewartstown” on March 24, 1832. The railroad buildings and this postal history highlight different periods and themes in the town’s history.

Hopewell Area Recreation Complex and Birdlife

The Hopewell Area Recreation Complex in Stewartstown is a planned wildlife habitat established in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. More than 122 bird species have been documented there; the total may change. The Hopewell complex focuses on habitat planning and documented species diversity, while the railroad theme centers on the route, train rides, and historic buildings. If you are weighing nature alongside local and railroad history for your stay, these two themes offer different points of interest for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Red Lion, Shrewsbury, Hanover, New Freedom, Brogue, Glen Rock, York, Dillsburg

Go to the main travel overview: York.