What a wonderful success story for Martinsburg and railroad fans everywhere. The huge roundhouse in the middle of the photo has been restored and the surrounding shops are also getting the final touches.

What is so special about this complex is the roundhouse."It's the sole surviving cast-iron framed roundhouse in the nation and is an important example of mid-19th century industrial building design. It was designed by Albert Fink, in collaboration with Benjamin Labrobe, and it represents an early use of standardized, prefabricated iron structural elements to create an efficient and fire-resistant building."

After the Battle of Antietam, Gen. Stonewall Jackson had the original buildings burned to prevent the Federals from using them.
The buildings you see here were built in 1866-1867 right after the war.

We had the added pleasure of being given a personal tour of the inside of the roundhouse and adjacent shop buildings.
Designated a NATIONAL HISTORIC CIVIL ENGINEERING LANDMARK