By Justin Franz 

A grassroots effort is underway in Maine to restore the Canadian Pacific depot in Jackman, a rural community not far from the U.S.-Canada border. 

The station in Jackman was built in 1910 after the original was destroyed in a fire. The depot served the CP in the community until 1995 when its Moosehead Subdivision across western Maine was sold to a short line. The line returned to CP ownership in 2020. The effort to restore the depot began before CP returned when the previous owner, Central Maine & Quebec, agreed to lease it to the Jackman Station Preservation Society. That agreement was upended by CP’s return but after a few years, a new agreement has been made. 

The preservation society plans on tackling the project in two phases. Phase One will see the exterior of the station restored, including work on the foundation and a new roof. Phase Two will see the interior restored. Once the structure is restored, the group hopes to open a small railroad museum. For more information, visit jackmanstation.org.