The roundhouse is in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and has been a part of two major events in the history of the United States: The Civil War and the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. These two events alongside the architecture of the building make the site a National Historic Landmark. The first roundhouse in Martinsburg was built in the 1840s as a part of the B&O Railroad. The roundhouse was completed in 1849, but it was destroyed during the Civil War Following the end of the Civil War, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company rebuilt a roundhouse in Martinsburg. The current roundhouse was constructed in 1866 and composed of the roundhouse, two additional shops: the Bridge Shop and the Frog and Switch Shop. A second roundhouse was built on the property in 1872.

Another key event in the history of the Martinsburg Roundhouse is that it served as the setting for the beginning of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877.  Angry railroad workers went on strike because of wage cuts at the B&O. This work stoppage then spread across the United States. The striking lasted for a little over two months and was the nation’s first nationwide strike.