McAdam's unique one hundred-year-old railway station is reminiscent of an era when most travel was by train and when living was more relaxed.
It is
one of the most photographed buildings in New Brunswick, and on viewing
this grand edifice, it is easy to understand why it is such a magnet for
tourists. It draws about 25,000 visitors annually to McAdam, and in the
early 1980's it was dedicated as a National Historic Site.
Officially opened in the 1900's, the station was commissioned by Sir William Cornelius Van Horn, who built the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was constructed in three stages: the centre section was erected in 1900 by a contractor named Joseph McVay, at a cost of $30,000. The architects were W. M. Painter and Edward Maxwell.
Additions were built on the east and west ends in 1910 and 1911 respectively. The building is 285 feet long and forty-five feet wide.
The
station is a classic example of turn-of-the-century architecture, a
combination of 
Gothic, Baroque and Victorian styles. It was built of granite that was
cut from local deposits. Under the windows, one can examine stones that
are twelve feet long, making complete window sills. Over the windows and
doorways, arches are held in place by key stones that were quarried on
the spot where the building now stands. The mansard roof is multileveled
with Gothic spires and canopies trimming the peaked windows and central
tower.
The McAdam Historical Restoration Commission is continuing their efforts to restore and retain the building as a functioning facility and an important reminder of McAdam's past.