Essex Railway Station Built in 1887 by the Michigan Central Railway, the tracks laid across the Talbot Trail established Essex Centre as the shipping hub of Essex County. The building was the only station of stone construction on the Canada Southern Railway.
The Station was heavily damaged in 1907 when a boxcar loaded with 5,000 pounds of nitroglycerine exploded 75 yards from the building. Following a nearby natural gas explosion in 1980, the building was fully restored to it’s natural beauty by Heritage Essex Inc.
The building served as train station until 1979, when the last passenger train rolled through town. CN freight service continued till 2012 when the rail ties and steel tracks were removed.
In 1977, the Essex Railway Station was recognized by the Town of Essex for its historical significance and received formal designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Essex Railway Station is part of the Historic Garden Park in the Town of Essex.