The first station, built in 1880, was destroyed by fire in 1887. The same year the station was rebuilt by Taylor, Bastrop, and Houston Railway Company.
Passenger service continued until the 1950's.....
Allowing plenty of room to wait inside for the scheduled train.
It continued to receive and dispatch freight into the 1970's.
The historical building has the original pot belly stove....
Another highlight of the museum is the original stationmaster's desk.
I asked the museum docent about the unusual wooden "Y" attached to the wall. He explained this was how the trains would receive their messages before telephones. Do you see the rolled paper message tied to a string?
If you look closely at the photo (sorry for the reflection) you can see two loops. The one up high was for the engineer while the lower loop was for the conductor who rode in the caboose. Whatever the speed they were traveling, they would reach out and take hold of the message that was tied in the loop. Inside would be the latest information and directions for the train.
This was a time in history before cell phones, computers, and i-Pads.
Every wall of this beautifully maintained historical station, is covered with memorabilia.
Looking outside, I see an original caboose.
And the powerful wheels that rolled along the miles of track...clickety-clack....clickety-clack.
In 1911, President Teddy Roosevelt, traveling on a special train, made a stop at this very train depot.
Click on the photos to bring them up in a larger format.
I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse from the past, of a small town in Texas.
I could have stayed another hour, talking to the friendly docent, listening to his endless stories about Texas Train History.
But it was time for me to follow these tracks and head for the farm....
Enjoy your week end
Meggie Mac
Those small town museums are such treasures!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful station! There don't seem to be many like this still around. I love places like this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful station! I am in awe of the men who used those message loops. Imagine doing that at speed. The telephone, the lamps, the vintage signs, the flat cart - the whole museum looks beautifully presented. Thank you for giving us the tour, and for taking such great photographs. Clickety-clack...clickety-clack!
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely lovely place, thanks so much for a peek inside and out, fascinating. x
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing building and all the stories and history that it holds ...such a community treasure!!
ReplyDeleteI love old railway stations.........what a pretty building this one is, and filled with such wonderful memrobelia. x
ReplyDeleteThis one reminds me of the station in Staunton, Virginia, where Kelly, Erin and I went while visiting my sister. Kelly took lots of photographs in hope of making a collage of the experience. I have her photos and maybe one day, I'll do that for her son. Thank you for the history you share with all of us. XOXO
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