PRINCE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Prince Station in Fayette County was built in 1880 to serve the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad (C&O) which is now present-day CSX.
It was first built as a wooden structure but it was rebuilt after a fire in 1917. C&O President Robert R. Young had the idea to turn the station from wood to brick in order to create a more stylish and efficient passenger station.
It was the only Art Deco style passenger station to be built along the C&O Railroad, making it one of a kind.
Today, Prince Station still serves passengers as a stop along the Amtrak Cardinal route that runs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from Chicago to New York twice a day.
The interior of the station is well-maintained and displays some history of the C&O Railway such as a floor image of the famous Chessie the Cat and a photo of hoppers being loaded with coal.
Even though Prince holds a population of less than 100 according to the U.S. Census, Prince Station still sees its fair share of passengers come through.
According to Amtrak data, Prince Station had 1,300 passengers pass through in 2021. Prince is the closest Amtrak station to Beckley.