Historic Structure Report: Williamsport Power Generating Station, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
MTFA Architecture, PLLC, Robinson & Associates, Inc., McMullan Consulting Engineers, 2RW Consultants, Inc., Jensen Hughes, Inc., Tidewater, Inc.. 2023. Historic Structure Report: Williamsport Power Generating Station, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Historic Structure Report. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Washington, DC
This historic structure report (HSR) was developed from investigations, both archival and on-site, undertaken in 2021 and 2022 in support of the National Park Service’s desire to update its treatment approach and its current use of the historic Power Generating Station building in Williamsport, Maryland. The generating station is a well-preserved example of late-nineteenth century industrial architecture, and its proximity to and association with the nearby Cushwa Warehouse also makes it important as a surviving structure related to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Williamsport, along whose western boundary the canal passes. This building has been the subject of an earlier HSR which was jointly written by John Milner Associates and Keast & Hood in 1978; it describes the building as it existed at that time and makes recommendations for its stabilization and ongoing maintenance. This report builds on the earlier report with expanded research into the building’s historic background and context, including the context of the former Hagerstown Railroad Company and a history of nineteenth century powerhouse design. This report also revisits the preservation and interpretation recommendations made in the previous report. Finally, three options for interior alterations to the generating station were recently developed by the authors of this report to improve the functionality of the building which the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park currently uses as public exhibit space, staff workspace, and storage. The National Park Service has chosen one of these three options, with revisions, for further development, and this report presents the specifics of this preferred option.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- MTFA Architecture, PLLC; Robinson & Associates, Inc.; McMullan Consulting Engineers; 2RW Consultants, Inc.; Jensen Hughes, Inc.; Tidewater, Inc.
- Date of Issue
- 2023
- Publisher
- U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
- Units
- CHOH , NCR
- Keywords
- Architectural Style, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Storage Building, Criterion 1, Criterion 4, Hagerstown Railway Company Powerhouse, Maryland, National Capital Region, National History, NCR, Region 1, Trolley Barn, Victor Cushwa & Sons, Williamsport Generating Station, Williamsport Power Generating Station, Williamsport Power House, Williamsport Powerhouse, Williamsport Preservation Training Center Workshop