A crumbling facade whispers tales of a bygone era. This is Benson Street Station. Once a bustling hub of activity it now stands silent.
Benson Street Station in Glen Ridge New Jersey opened in 1873. Initially known as Glenwood it served as a vital stop on the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway an Erie Railroad operation. Its unique English Tudor design with stucco and a slate roof made it quite distinctive. The station had two platforms and two tracks gas lights illuminating the sides of the tracks.
Later it became part of New Jersey Transit’s Boonton Line connecting Hoboken Terminal to Hackettstown. But its days of service ended abruptly on September 20 2002. The opening of the Montclair Connection led to the closure of Benson Street Station along with Rowe Street and Arlington stations.
Years of neglect followed. A fire in the 1980s further damaged the structure leaving it in disrepair. But hope arrived in 2009. New Jersey Transit sold Benson Street Station to private owners. These dedicated individuals began a remarkable restoration. The project wasn’t easy. The basement needed restructuring. New gutters walls and roofing were installed. Parts of the original first-floor paneling were salvaged. The second story was completely rebuilt as part of a single-family home conversion.
The restoration of Benson Street Station was completed around May 2012. Today it’s a private residence. A testament to the past a single platform and track stand as reminders of its former life. While the trains no longer stop the story of Benson Street Station endures. It’s a story of transformation a reminder that even in silence a building can speak volumes. This former railway station tells a unique story of its past life and its rebirth.