Beaver Area Heritage Museum

Known as one of the best local history museums in America, Beaver Area Heritage Museum features important exhibits on the people, events, and objects that have shaped the Beaver area. It is housed in a renovated, about 100-year-old railroad freight station and a 200-year-old log house.

After many years of seeking a home for a local heritage museum, the old P&LE Railroad Freight Station property became available when the CSX Railroad Company acquired the railroad, and much of its real estate was sold. Beaver Borough purchased the property, and in 1996, an agreement was reached with the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation whereby the site could be leased for 99 years for the sum of one dollar.

The property extends from the corner of East Second Street and East End Avenue south to the edge of the embankment toward the river. The freight station was built in 1910 at the same time as the nearby Ohio River railroad bridge. It replaced a smaller building that stood closer to the passenger station.

At the same time, the passenger station, built around 1900, was relocated intact approximately 100 feet east of its original location and expanded in size. The move was necessitated by the relocation of the mainline railroad tracks, which resulted from the construction of the new bridge over the Ohio.

At this time, a large quantity of additional slate roof shingles was brought in to expand the roofline. The leftover shingles from this project were stored in the basement of the passenger station for the next ninety years, when they were reclaimed for use in rebuilding the entire Museum roof.