Homestead Seaboard Station

The Homestead Seaboard Railway Station

History

Built by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, the historic Homestead Seaboard Air Line Railway Station is the southernmost Seaboard depot in the country. It also holds the distinction of being the southernmost railroad station in the United States still standing in its original spot.

Established in 1900, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad operated nearly 4,000 miles of track stretching from Richmond, Virginia, through Jacksonville, and down to West Palm Beach. Under the direction of then-chairman Solomon Davies Warfield, the railroad expanded further into South Florida, reaching Miami in 1925 and ultimately extending to Homestead in 1927.

Constructed in 1927, the Homestead Seaboard station shares its layout with the original Delray Beach station. However, while Delray Beach features plain stucco arches, the Homestead station incorporates the same Corinthian arches found on the Naples and Hialeah stations. Notable South Florida architect Gustav Adam Maass Jr. of the Harvey & Clarke firm designed these stations. Working primarily in the Mediterranean Revival style, Maass designed numerous public buildings and private homes throughout Palm Beach County, many of which are now designated landmarks.

Like many Seaboard stations in South Florida, the building served as both a passenger station and a freight depot. However, passenger service here was likely short-lived; shortly after construction, the line between Hialeah and Homestead was transitioned to handle freight traffic exclusively.

Although its exact closing date is uncertain, the station likely shuttered around 1967 when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad merged with its longtime rival, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, to form the Seaboard Coastline Railroad. CSX Transportation still sporadically uses the adjacent tracks for freight. Of all the historic Seaboard stations, only two have been destroyed: the Boynton Beach station was demolished in 2006, and the Delray Beach station was largely ruined by arson in 2020. The Homestead Seaboard Station sat vacant until 2023, when restoration of the structure was completed.

The Architect, Gustav A. Maass Jr.

Born in New Orleans to German immigrants, Gustav Maass Jr. was the third of eight children. His father, Gustav A. Maass, was a mechanical engineer, and his mother was Margaret Oelschlegel Maass. Maass grew up in New Orleans and Birmingham, Alabama, eventually earning an architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1917. During World War I, he worked for the U.S. Civil Service at the League Island Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Following the war, Maass returned to Birmingham, where his designs spanned a wide range of structures, including a Masonic Temple, power plants, schools, churches, and residential homes.

In 1921, Maass joined the West Palm Beach firm, Harvey & Clarke. Throughout the 1920s, he contributed to the design of numerous buildings in Delray Beach, bringing his signature Art Deco style to commercial properties along Atlantic Avenue. Maass was also responsible for designing several railroad stations across both the east and west coasts of Florida; in addition to the aforementioned stations, Maass also designed stations in Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood.

From 1927 to 1935, Maass partnered with John L. Volk in Palm Beach before launching his own firm. During his career, he designed the American Red Cross building in West Palm Beach and the original Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults facility in Palm Beach. He also redesigned the interior of the First Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach.

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