|
The renovation of
the Alderson Depot was finished in 2003 after almost 10
years and three grants. It was built in 1896 by a C&O road
crew in one week, and is the only remaining standard station
with a bay window in both the front and the back. It is also
the most ambitious project of Alderson Main Street. |
| |
|
|
The
first Chesapeake & Ohio depot in Alderson is seen in this
1891
photo. It later became the freight station and was finally
demolished in 1962. Photo C&O Historical Society
Collection. |
|
| |
|
About 1905 we see the freight station cluttered with
equipment, the passenger station just beyond with
folks waiting for the train approaching in the
distance, and baggage trucks piled high. Beyond the
station area a busy lumber yard . Photo by J. W.
McClung. |
|
|
| |
|
|
In the
summer of 1935 a west bound train pauses at Alderson to
conduct business and one of its passengers, William Monypeny, got of the train and took this photo.
You can see the old freight station on the other
side of the depot. |
|
| |
|
About this
time, Tom Roush's grandfather, T. L. Dameron
(picture-right) was Stationmaster, and his
son Frank was Station Agent. Frank was Tom Dameron's father. When T. L,
retired, Frank took over. Both T. L. and
Frank Dameron worked for C&O for 50 years.
In 1957 the station was renovated and the
walls were covered with plywood and the
ceiling dropped to 9 ft. Later, when Tom
Roush, Gerry Williams and others renovated
the station, they removed all the plywood
and raised the ceiling back to the 14 ft
height except the left waiting room. The
right waiting room is like it was in 1896
when built, and the Museum, or center ticket
office is like it was in 1920. The left
waiting room is like it was when renovated
in 1957. |
|
|
| |
|
|
This photo
was taken about 1995 before the Depot was
repainted the original color. The paint
is pealing and the building is in bad shape. You can see
the freight wagons at this end of the
building, as if they are waiting for the
next train to stop. Those wagons are still
at the Depot and can be seen by visitors.
(Photo was supplied by Mr. Bill Hakkarinen,
Cockeysville, Md) |
|
| |
|
The driving
forces behind the depot restoration were Tod
Hanger, Tom and
Neta Roush, and Jerry Williams. The building is a
historic structure and a contributing element in
Alderson's National Register Historic District.
Because it has historical significance, the depot
had to be painted in the original color--C & O
orange. Grants to do all the restoration work were
secured from different organizations with the
largest coming from the West Virginia Division of
Highways' Transportation Enhancement Program. and
had to be matched with a certain percentage of
funds from Alderson Main Street These funds were
raised by denotations from private citizens and
private grants. |
| |
|
Back to the
original color. The tarmac all around the station
was resurfaced. |
|
|
| |
|
|
Period pieces of
furniture and paraphernalia give an air of
what it would be like to be inside the
office area in the early years. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Above: Two
interior photos before furnishings |
|
|
|
Above: The Meadow Sweet
Gifts
Shop which occupies a section of
the depot and keeps it open. |
| |
|
Like all buildings, the Depot
requires maintenance. Its paint is
beginning to peel and the roof has
a leak. A grant has been written
for Transportation Enhancement
funds to scrape and re-paint the
outside, replace the roof with one
that is historically correct, and
weatherize the baggage room to
make it more useful. Matching
funds will again be needed. Any
and all donations will be
appreciated and can be made to
Alderson Main Street with a
notation for the Depot account. |
|
|
