Stewartstown offers two distinct themes to consider when planning a trip: the history of the Stewartstown Railroad and the natural setting of the Hopewell Area Recreation Complex. If you’re looking for accommodation in Stewartstown, you might first consider whether you’re primarily interested in the railroad and its historic buildings, or whether the area’s wildlife is also among your travel interests.
Railroad History and Excursion Rides
The Stewartstown Railroad was chartered in 1884 and is one of the oldest continuously operating common carrier railroads. Its route, more than 7.4 miles long, runs from Stewartstown to a connection with the former Northern-Central Railway (NCR) in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. The charter year and route description represent different aspects of railroad history: one dates the charter, while the other specifies the route’s length and connection.
The railroad offers passenger excursions through Deer Creek Valley and its rolling, wooded landscape. These include rides on the historic 1943 Plymouth switcher locomotive Mighty-Mo. If you’re planning a train ride, check the schedule in advance, as the times offered may change.
Station and Visitor Center
Stewartstown Station was built in 1914 as Stewartstown’s second station. It is one of seven structures belonging to the Stewartstown Railroad listed on the National Historic Registry. The station contains a waiting room, a ticket window, and a freight house. This means the railroad’s history can be explored not only along its route but also through a specific station building.
The Museum Building is next to Stewartstown Station. The railroad acquired it in 2017; it serves as the visitor center and headquarters of the Stewartstown Railroad. The building also houses the Friends of Stewartstown Railroad gift shop, modern restrooms, and notable pieces of railroad history. The station and the Museum Building are therefore two separate stops within the railroad theme: the former is the station building erected in 1914, while the latter is a visitor center with a collection and the facilities mentioned above.
Wildlife Habitat and Bird Species
The Hopewell Area Recreation Complex in Stewartstown is a planned wildlife habitat established in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. More than 122 bird species have been documented there. The complex offers a different focus for planning a visit than the railroad: one centers on the rail line, excursion rides, and historic buildings, while the other centers on the planned habitat function and documented bird diversity.
Local History and Historical Society
The Stewartstown Area Historical Society preserves and restores historic public buildings, structures, and monuments connected with the history of the Borough of Stewartstown, York County, and the immediately surrounding area. It also collects and exhibits buildings, structures, objects, districts, places, sites, and areas of historical or cultural significance to these places. Its work therefore encompasses both preserving historic public buildings and collecting and displaying objects and places of historical or cultural significance.
The development of the town’s name is also part of its local history: Stewartstown had its own post office until 1828. At the urging of Anthony Stewart and with the support of Judge Adam Ebaugh, the Post Office Department changed the community’s postmark to “Stewartstown” on March 24, 1832. The dates refer to two different stages in the town’s history—early postal service and the later establishment of the town’s postmark.
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