About this property
The Howard Tunnel is located near Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania. In operation since 1838, it is the second oldest active rail tunnel in the U.S. Originally constructed by the York and Maryland Line Rail Road, it formed a critical link in the north-south line assembled by the Northern Central Railway. It is a 275-foot (84 m) long, brick-lined tunnel built between 1836 and 1837 and opened for traffic in 1838. During the Civil War, the tunnel, then part of the Northern Central Railway system, was a target of Confederate cavalry troops, but was protected by elements of the 20th Pennsylvania state militia. However, nearby railroad bridges on the NCR down to Hanover Junction were destroyed by Confederate forces. After the war, the tunnel was rebuilt to accommodate two tracks in 1868. The line was again damaged during Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and rebuilt by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1985. Freight traffic failed to materialize and the line again fell dormant by 1996. The Northern Central Railway (no relation to the original owner) leased the line in 1996 and operated the Liberty Limited dinner train from New Freedom through the tunnel to York until September 2, 2001. York County, Pennsylvania purchased the tunnel along with its rail corridor in 1990 and has maintained it as part of a historic railroad, thereby preserving its status as an "active" tunnel. The tunnel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. In August 1999 the county government completed a track-side trail, the Heritage Rail Trail which led to the tunnel being refurbished in 1999 and again in 2003. According to information posted in the front window of Steam Into History Inc. (501c) there is currently a fund raising effort to restore passenger train service through the Howard Tunnel by Steam Into History's Excursion trains. As of July 9, 2016, they have received 1/2 the funds necessary to repair the tracks from Hanover Junction, Pennsylvania to York, Pennsylvania.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway
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Questions about this property
When was Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway listed on the National Register?
Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 1995.
What type of historic resource is Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway?
Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway?
The period of significance for Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1836.
Can I research the history near Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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