Unique Danbury Railway Museum Event Honors Famous Mail Dog

According to a press release from the Danbury Railway Museum, one of the most unique family-friendly events of the summer is returning to Danbury next month, and it celebrates a dog that became a railroad legend.

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On Saturday, July 11, the museum will host Railway Post Office Dog Day, an annual event honoring Owney, a stray dog that wandered into a post office in Albany, New York, in the late 1800s and somehow became a national celebrity. What started as a local post office mascot turned into an incredible journey that saw Owney travel aboard Railway Post Office cars across the country and eventually around the world.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Danbury Railway Museum on White Street and includes plenty of activities for railroad fans, dog lovers, and families. Admission is $20 for visitors ages 3 and older and includes a train ride, an Owney postcard and postage stamp, a dog treat for four-legged guests, plus a hot dog, chips, and a drink.

One of the highlights of the day will be the museum's restored Railway Post Office car, where visitors can receive a special one-day-only commemorative postmark from the U.S. Postal Service. Kids can even have their Owney postcard officially stamped and mailed, creating a unique souvenir that arrives in their mailbox a few days later.

Throughout the day, guests can ride aboard vintage railroad equipment, explore the historic rail yard, and check out more than 70 railroad cars and locomotives. Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the museum's historic turntable, tour the old water tower pump house, and browse exhibits inside the restored 1903 train station.

There will also be a scavenger hunt for children, model train displays in operation, and plenty of opportunities to learn about railroad history from museum volunteers.

If you're looking for something different to do with the family this summer, this event combines local history, trains, dogs, and a little postal history all in one place.