Historic Georgetown Train Station, Delaware

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Georgetown, Delaware · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Depot museumTrain ridesFreeOpen for free open houses and community events; check the event calendar

Built in the late 1860s when the railroad reached Sussex County's county seat, the Historic Georgetown Train Station has been restored twice by the Historic Georgetown Association and its volunteers, and now opens for free open houses with model trains, railroad displays and rides for kids.

  • Station built in the late 1860s
  • Restored 2003, rebuilt after 2011 fire
  • Free admission at open houses
  • Lil Toot Express kids' rides
  • First Fire House Museum across the street
  • State historical marker SC-193

Historic Georgetown Train Station at a glance

Hours
Open houses on select Saturdays, usually noon to 2 pm; see the event calendar
Admission
Free at open houses
Train rides
Lil Toot Express kids' rides at open houses
Seasonal events
Christmas at the Train Station, Return Day Celebration, Kimmeytown Tour, Annual Car Show and Craft and Yard Sale, Georgetown Museum Tour
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families with toddlers and local history fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 8

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Historic Georgetown Train Station? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Georgetown.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A county seat depot, saved and then saved again

The railroad came to Georgetown after a long wait. Work on a line from Harrington toward the harbor at Lewes began in 1857 and reached Milford in 1859, but construction stalled until 1867. By 1868 the rails had reached Georgetown, and the line pushed on to Lewes the following year. The station dates from those late 1860s years and served the town for decades before it slowly fell into disrepair.

In the winter and spring of 1993, Mayor Joe Booth, council members, Chamber of Commerce and Georgetown Business Association members and other townspeople met and formed the Historic Georgetown Association, with Carlton Moore as chairman. After early revitalization work in the Kimmeytown neighborhood, the group acquired the station. Countless volunteer hours and the craftsmanship of John L. Briggs Construction brought it back, and restoration was finished in the fall of 2003. The state installed historical marker SC-193 at the station in 2004.

Then, in May 2011, a fire gutted the interior and destroyed the second floor. The association refused to let it go. After three years of work, the station reopened in the early summer of 2014. Today it is the heart of the association's complex at Depot Street and Layton Avenue, alongside Georgetown's First Fire House, built in 1909 and rescued from demolition by the same group.

Model trains, museum rooms and a track for little riders

On open house days the station's newly reorganized interior is filled with museum items about the railroad and the town, along with model trains that keep younger visitors busy. Across the street, the First Fire House Museum opens at the same time, so one visit covers both of Georgetown's restored landmarks. Volunteers are on hand to give tours and answer questions.

Outside, the Lil Toot Express gives kids safe rides on its own track, built in 2026 as an Eagle Scout project by Shane Jones of Troop 95 with help from his family, advisors and fellow scouts. The grounds also host the association's car show and craft and yard sales, and visitors passing through on the way to the beach often stop to photograph the station and read the historical marker.

Don’t miss

  1. The restored station buildingBuilt in the late 1860s, restored in 2003 and rebuilt after the 2011 fire, it shows what a determined small town can save.
  2. The Lil Toot ExpressA small train ride for kids on a track built by a local Eagle Scout candidate and his crew, running at open houses.
  3. The model trainsModel train displays are part of every open house and the Christmas at the Train Station event.
  4. Georgetown's First Fire HouseBuilt in 1909, moved twice and saved from demolition, it now stands across the street as its own museum.
  5. Historical marker SC-193The state marker outside tells how the line from Harrington crept toward Lewes, reaching Georgetown in 1868.

Lil Toot rides and Santa at the station

For small train fans, the draw is the Lil Toot Express, a kid-sized train that gives rides on its own track during open houses, plus the model trains inside the station. In December, Christmas at the Train Station adds decorations, model trains, museum displays and a visit from Santa Claus.

Open houses are short, usually about two hours at midday, and admission is free, so it is easy to come and go with toddlers. Pair a visit with the fire house across the street for a little more to see.

Plan your visit: tips for Historic Georgetown Train Station

  • The station is open only on event days, so check the calendar or Facebook page before you drive over.
  • Dates can change: one summer open house was moved to join the Chamber's Georgetown Museum Tour.
  • The First Fire House Museum across the street opens at the same time.
  • Christmas at the Train Station is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026, noon to 2 pm.

The association's holiday tradition is Christmas at the Train Station, a free midday open house with model trains, museum displays, decorations and Santa Claus. For 2026 it is set for Saturday, December 5, from noon to 2 pm. For more holiday outings, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Delaware.

The Historic Georgetown Association

The station belongs to the Historic Georgetown Association, a nonprofit formed by Georgetown residents in 1993 and run by volunteers, a board and its members. The association raises money through events such as its car show and craft and yard sales, where table space is a small fee that supports its work. Membership meetings are open to interested people, and the website has an online store and a contact form.

Southern Delaware rail stops

The Laurel Heritage Museum is about 14 miles southwest, and the Harrington Railroad Museum is about 19 miles north, at the town where this rail line began. Across Delaware Bay, Cape May Seashore Lines is about 30 miles away. See train museums across Delaware for more.

Every train museum in Delaware

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Lil Toot Express here was built for small riders, and I love that. Rally knows all about being small around trains. In our book his little corgi legs cannot manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. A track made so little kids can ride safely feels like that same boost, just from a whole town of volunteers.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Historic Georgetown Train Station?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Historic Georgetown Train Station: 20 questions answered

Where is the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

The station is at 140 Layton Avenue in Georgetown, Delaware 19947, part of the Historic Georgetown Association complex at the corner of Depot Street and Layton Avenue. Georgetown is the Sussex County seat, and many visitors stop on the way to or from the beach. The association's mailing address is 105 Spicer Street.

When is the Historic Georgetown Train Station open?

The station opens for scheduled open houses and community events rather than regular daily hours. Most open houses run on Saturdays from noon to 2 pm. The association posts each date on its website calendar and Facebook page, and dates occasionally change, so check one of those before you plan a trip.

How much does it cost to visit the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

Admission to the station's open houses is free, and visitors can come and go as they please. Community events such as the Kimmeytown Tour and the annual car show are also free to attend. If you want to sell at the craft and yard sale, a table space has been $10, which supports the association.

Is there a Christmas event at the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

Yes. Christmas at the Train Station is a free holiday open house with model trains, museum displays, decorations and a visit from Santa Claus. As of October 2026 it is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026, from noon to 2 pm. In past years the association has held two December dates, so watch the calendar.

When was the Georgetown train station built?

The station was built in the late 1860s, when the railroad from Harrington finally reached Georgetown. Work toward Lewes began in 1857, reached Milford in 1859 and then stalled until 1867. By 1868 rails reached Georgetown, and the line was extended to Lewes the next year. The station served the town for decades before falling into disrepair.

Who restored the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

The Historic Georgetown Association, a volunteer nonprofit formed in 1993, acquired and restored the station with countless volunteer hours and the craftsmanship of John L. Briggs Construction. That restoration was completed in the fall of 2003. After a 2011 fire, the association rebuilt the station again, reopening it in early summer 2014.

What happened in the Georgetown train station fire?

In May 2011 a fire gutted the station's interior and destroyed the second floor, only eight years after the first restoration. The Historic Georgetown Association decided to restore it again, and after three years of work the station reopened in the early summer of 2014. It now hosts open houses and community events.

What is the Lil Toot Express at the Georgetown train station?

The Lil Toot Express is a small train that gives kids safe rides around its own track at the station. The track was built as an Eagle Scout project by Shane Jones of Troop 95, with help from family, advisors and fellow scouts, and opened at the June 6, 2026 open house. Rides are offered at open houses.

Are there model trains at the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

Yes. Model trains are part of the station's open houses and its Christmas at the Train Station event, along with museum items about the railroad and the town. The interiors were recently reorganized, so there is a fresh layout of displays. Model trains also appeared during the Chamber of Commerce's Georgetown Museum Tour.

Is the Historic Georgetown Train Station good for toddlers?

Yes, it suits young children well. Open houses are free and about two hours long, so you can drop in for a short visit. Kids can ride the Lil Toot Express on its own track and watch the model trains inside. The fire house museum across the street adds another stop without a long walk.

What is the First Fire House Museum in Georgetown?

Georgetown's First Fire House was built in 1909, moved from downtown in 1926 to become part of a feed and supply store on Route 113, and was set for demolition in 2006. The Historic Georgetown Association moved it across from the train station and restored it. It opens alongside the station during open houses.

What is the Kimmeytown Tour in Georgetown?

The Kimmeytown Tour is a community event in Georgetown's Kimmeytown neighborhood, where the Historic Georgetown Association did some of its earliest revitalization work. For the 2026 tour on Saturday, October 17, from 10 am to 2 pm, the train station and First Fire House museums were open with their displays, and admission was free.

Does the Historic Georgetown Train Station take part in Return Day?

Yes. Return Day is a Georgetown tradition, and the association lists a Return Day Celebration on its calendar, with the 2026 date on Thursday, November 5. The station has hosted Return Day events since its first restoration. Check the association's calendar or Facebook page for what will be open that day.

Does the Historic Georgetown Train Station have a car show?

Yes. The association holds an annual car show with cars, trucks and motorcycles at its complex on Depot Street and Layton Avenue, paired with a craft and yard sale. The 2026 show, the fifth, was held on Saturday, September 12, from 8 am to 2 pm, with free admission and a food truck.

Can I rent the Historic Georgetown Train Station for an event?

The association has rented the station to groups in the past and has hosted children's programs and meetings there. It does not post current rental rates online. Use the contact form on georgetowntrainstation.org or message the association on Facebook to ask about availability and terms for a group or party.

Is there a historical marker at the Georgetown train station?

Yes. Delaware historical marker SC-193, Georgetown Train Station, was originally installed in 2004. It tells how efforts to build a line from Harrington to the harbor at Lewes began in 1857, stalled after Milford, and reached Georgetown by 1868. Visitors driving through often stop to read it and take photos.

How do I contact the Historic Georgetown Association?

The association does not list a public phone number or email address. Use the contact form on georgetowntrainstation.org, or send a message through its Facebook page, which it uses for event updates. Mail goes to Historic Georgetown Association, 105 Spicer Street, Georgetown, DE 19947.

How can I support or join the Historic Georgetown Association?

You can become a member, attend the open bi-annual membership meetings, volunteer at events, or support fundraisers such as the car show and craft and yard sales. The website also has an online store. The association is a nonprofit run by local volunteers, so each event and membership helps keep the station and fire house open.

How long should I spend at the Historic Georgetown Train Station?

Most visitors spend about an hour, enough to tour the station, watch the model trains, let kids ride the Lil Toot Express and step across the street to the First Fire House. Open houses usually last two hours, so arrive early in the window if you want time for both buildings.

What train museums are near Georgetown, Delaware?

The Laurel Heritage Museum is about 14 miles away, and the Harrington Railroad Museum is about 19 miles north in the town where Georgetown's rail line began. Cape May Seashore Lines in New Jersey is about 30 miles away across Delaware Bay. The Wilmington & Western Railroad is about 73 miles north.

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Kelsey Cecil
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