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Re: Seeking records on Shelly Station on North Pennsylvania Railroad
Lisha PennJan 22, 2020 2:01 PM (in response to Jill Ruch)
1 person found this helpfulDear Ms. Ruch,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 50 series in the Records of the Interstate Commerce Commission (Record Group 134) that may contain information about the Shelly Station in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The records are not yet digitized and available in the Catalog. For access to and/or copies, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov. Please see Records Relating to North American Railroads by David Pfeiffer, a finding aid for researching railroad records in the National Archives.
We also suggest that you search the websites listed below for research tips and resources for the information you are seeking:
- Bucks County Historical Society Spruance Library
- Primary Research: PHMC Railroads of Pennsylvania
- Temple University: Pennsylvania Railroad Records
- Research Library: Mercer Museum
- Bucks County Pennsylvania Railroad Stations
- North Pennsylvania Railroad
- Pennsylvania Railroad Company records, 1813-1968
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!
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Re: Seeking records on Shelly Station on North Pennsylvania Railroad
Jill Ruch Jan 26, 2020 8:50 AM (in response to Lisha Penn)Thank you, Lisha!
Your list was quite extensive, but I made it through it. In summary, Shelly Station was small and has since been demolished, so there is little information. All is not lost because I found enough. Below is a brief summary on the structure of the station:
Note: The Philadelphia to Bethlehem rail lines, known as the Bethlehem Branch, became operable in 1857.
All aboard for Shelly Station! Passenger travel to and from Shelly was instituted in 1882 with the construction of its train station. Shelly Station was small and cheaply made as initial plans were to have numerous and inexpensive way-stations along the Bethlehem Branch. The station, itself, measured 11 by 36 feet and was constructed of wood.
In April 1916, an architect from the railroad was noticed in the village. Shelly was part of a replacement plan for a new station and freight depot. The scheduled changes were to include larger and more elegant structures all of which was to occur in the summer of 1916. Unfortunately, it never was constructed due to increased competition from another line, the Belvidere Delaware Railroad Company.
Sadly, the village never received what would have been historical, architectural buildings. The inexpensive, wooden structures were demolished in 1954. Shelly Station survived over 72 years and provided an immense volume of local commerce.
These findings along with the picture of Shelly Station (link in original post) are fantastic!
Thank you for your assistance - Jill
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Re: Seeking records on Shelly Station on North Pennsylvania Railroad
Jill Ruch Sep 4, 2021 6:21 PM (in response to Jill Ruch)Hello: This is to add to my original post. I have completed my research on Shelly (Shelly Station) in Richland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. My research is documented and information about my book is available on Facebook at Shelly Station.
Shelly had a post office, railroad station, general store, hotel, coal, lumber, flour and feed store, foundry, hosiery mill, furniture plant, granite works, cigar factories, machine shops and more!
Hopefully, you take the time to "hitch up your horse and c'mon inside!"
Thank you to all for your help - Jill