Peekskill Freight Depot - History

History

The first depot was built of wood around 1850 by the New York Central Railroad to handle freight shipments into and out of what was then a busy industrial Hudson River city.) Around 1890 the present brick depot was built; at that time its platform had extensions to the north and south along the tracks. There are some reports of fires in the 1880s and again in 1898; and blistering of the interior paint at roof level gives evidence that there was one.

On February 19, 1861, Abraham Lincoln stopped here during his train trip to his inauguration and gave a brief speech at the invitation of local congressman William Nelson, who introduced him. Contemporary newspaper accounts suggest that approximately 1500 people were present, equivalent to about half the population of Peekskill at that time, to hear his brief request for their support in the coming crisis (four states had already seceded by then). It was his only recorded appearance in Westchester County.

Peekskill has embraced Lincoln's appearance as a celebrated part of its history. A memorial stone, the Lincoln Exedra, was erected on South Street, overlooking the depot, in 1925. The speech was commemorated vigorously at its 50th anniversary in 1911, and again on its centennial in 1961. The latter occasion featured a re-enactment of the speech, with actors dressed as Lincoln and Nelson. The Lincoln Society of Peekskill keeps the memory alive and organizes other activities related to its namesake.

The railroad no longer exists, and the building fell vacant as Peekskill's industrial base declined to the point that freight shipments were no longer made (the line itself is now the Metro-North Hudson commuter line, handling almost exclusively passenger traffic). It is currently being restored for possible use as a museum devoted to Lincoln's appearance with help from New York's Office of Historic Preservation.