TAMAQUA, Pa. — Trains have been pulling into the Tamaqua train station since 1875.
"More than 40 passenger trains stopped here. So, in front of the station where you see one track today, there were four tracks across here," said Dale Freudenberger, president of the Tamaqua Historical Society.
This train station is one of five stations across the country that will be featured in the 2023 U.S. Postal Service's stamp series.
"I think it's fantastic. I never thought in my wildest dreams that they would be doing a postage stamp for the train station in Tamaqua. But so much heart and soul went into this station," added Linda Heigele, Save Our Station board member.
For decades, groups like the Tamaqua Save Our Station and the Tamaqua Station Restaurant have invested over $1 million to preserve the historic train station.
"It's been 30-plus years redoing this building, and growing up in this town, I know how much it meant. And what it means now that it's finished," Dan Odorizzi, Save Our Station board member, said.
While they are unsure how they were nominated to be a part of the U.S. Postal Service's railroad stations collection, the restaurant owners hope this national recognition will bring new people into Tamaqua.
"It's definitely an unexpected blessing, between the railroad and the new steam engines that are going through, the passenger trains coming through, all the news business coming into town, plus the postage stamp. This is a wonderful opportunity for Tamaqua and the surrounding communities," explained Melanie Ross, Tamaqua Station Restaurant owner.
The Tamaqua train station stamp is available for pre-order and will be released next year.
The other stations depicted include Point of Rocks Station in Maryland; Main Street Station in Richmond, VA; Santa Fe Station in San Bernardino, CA; and Union Terminal in Cincinnati, OH. Passenger trains stop at all of them except Tamaqua.
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