This Queen Anne-style depot was built before 1895, but I can’t locate an exact date. It’s been a feed store for years, and the owners have done a great job preserving most of the architectural features.
John Hendricks writes: Excellent example of what I call a “Henry Plant” depot: Depots built between 1881-1901 along the Plant System Railroad. Rail baron Henry Plant combined several railroads in South Georgia and Florida under one large rail company, most notably the Savannah Florida and Western and the Brunswick and Albany. Most of the depots on the Plant System are variations of the same blueprint: wood construction in the late Victorian style with gingerbread trim and the Plant System logo, a Maltese Cross, carved in wood and placed at the apex of the cornice. So far, I have located 6 Plant depots that survive: in Georgia, Whigham, Metcalfe, Alapaha, and Meigs (a hybrid of wood and brick), plus Fort White and Callahan, Florida. (I haven’t been to Dupont, Georgia, to see their depot) The Callahan Depot, one of the first Plant System depots built in 1881, is home to the West Nassau Historical Society.
The original depot in Whigham (Harrell’s Station) was built in 1868. A fire in 1888 destroyed the original, but it was quickly rebuilt with the help of the local Masons.
This building is now the Cash & Carry feed store. 🙂
Great pictures, Brian. Excellent example of what I call a “Henry Plant” depot: Depots built between 1881-1901 along the Plant System Railroad. Rail baron Henry Plant combined several railroads in South Georgia and Florida under one large rail company, most notably the Savannah Florida and Western and the Brunswick and Albany. Most of the depots on the Plant System are variations of the same blueprint: wood construction in the late Victorian style with gingerbread trim and the Plant System logo, a Maltese Cross, carved in wood and placed at the apex of the cornice. So far, I have located 6 Plant depots that survive: in Georgia, Whigham, Metcalfe, Alapaha, and Meigs (a hybrid of wood and brick), plus Fort White and Callahan, Florida. (I haven’t been to Dupont, Georgia, to see their depot) The Callahan Depot, one of the first Plant System depots built in 1881, is home to the West Nassau Historical Society.
Thanks for the comments, John! I love these old depots. I only wish more towns would restore them with history in mind…