Train Depot opens this month, to house Main Street Clinton offices
By Janet S. Lee
Clinton’s new Train Depot, a replica of the one which traditionally served rail travelers as a vital entry point to the city, will open in early 2018 to again welcome visitors who will arrive by car and on foot.
The replica train station, which rests fifty yards from the current train track running through central Clinton, takes its look and inspiration from a series of three previous stations. Local architect Mark Vaughan combined what is known about those buildings to suggest the look that Clintonians would have been familiar with in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Shane Ormond, principal of Shane Ormond Management Design, who has overseen the building of both the Train Depot and the city’s newest fire station, said an unusually wet summer did present some delays in initial construction.
“We have tried to make up for those delays, and the interior work now is coming together nicely. Though there are always design challenges in going from the idea to the finished product, we are pleased with how it looks.”
Ormond says he is “proud to have been chosen by the City to be entrusted with this building project. The Train Depot will serve Clinton well now and be an asset into the future, too. We’re local, we’ve had local people working with us. Trim carpenter Kyle Keith has done all the inside trim work, and it is really outstanding.”
The 2,560 square-foot wooden building is cream and brown, with striking wood accent brackets as a highlight feature of the roof overhang. A wood railing with decorative metal insert rods sets off the walkway toward two sets of functional French doors marking the building’s entrance.
Upon entering, visitors walk into a large meeting room which feels open and airy because of a vaulted wood ceiling and massive beams. Ceiling fans call to mind an earlier time, as do the school-house globe light fixtures that would have been typical in a train station. One end of the room has a small raised platform for use as a stage and includes a screen which can be raised and lowered for audio-visual presentations.
The walls feature v-groove pine wainscoting on the bottom half with a soothing grayish-green paint on the upper sheetrock. Oak flooring, which enhances the vintage feel, is a key feature in the large room, with stained concrete in the office, storage areas and restrooms. The large room will be able to seat ninety-three for club meetings, history presentations and other special events.
To the left of the main entry door is a welcome desk, where a Depot Event Coordinator will be stationed to field inquiries, answer phone calls and schedule functions in the facility. Two office areas will house the Main Street Clinton Director and Assistant Director. Remaining space is allocated for storage, two restrooms and a small kitchen with a pass-through window. The kitchen contains an oven, refrigerator and microwave to facilitate special event food service.
There will be an operational model train on display with diorama scenes from Clinton’s history, created by local train enthusiast and history buff Lucky Osborne. The train display will engage children particularly and help young and old alike to learn more about Clinton’s rich history.
A rear entrance to the building with ground-level elevation is available for handicapped patrons, and all portions of the building are ADA-compliant.
According to Main Street Clinton Director Tara Lytal, the new facility will be utilized in a variety of ways.
“The Train Depot will be available to the public and to clubs for small social events, meetings and training sessions. We will also program some coordinating activities around the existing Main Street Clinton events, as well as hold historical lectures sponsored by the City of Clinton.”
Mayor Phil Fisher said that the facility will host programs designed to keep interest levels high, broaden other Brick Street activities and grow involvement.
“For example, we can host programs about life on the rails during the depression, the western expansion of the U.S., and train songs/folklore,” said Fisher. “Other programs and ideas include clothing styles, weapons, and politics – local, state, and national – since 1823. Additionally, The Clinton Arts Council donated money for a four-train (HO scale) display that features the City of Clinton in 1875 (the Clinton Riot), 1929 (the laying of the brick streets), the 1950s (the heyday of trains), and a seasonal train (Christmas, 4th of July). This display will provide a great opportunity for classroom visits and family time.”
In addition, said Fisher, “the Train Depot will be the starting place for the City’s Historical On-Line Tour (HOLT). The goal of HOLT is to draw people to Clinton, see the twenty-one (and growing) historic markers, study our history and spend money throughout the community.”
The City and Main Street Clinton are working to establish Clinton as a tourist destination and a true walkable city. Visitors will be able to download the Clinton app on a smart phone to follow the self-guided tour through Olde Towne and other parts of the city.
Hinds County Supervisors from Clinton were instrumental in securing funding for the building project from the Hinds County Board of Supervisors.
“Thanks to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors for a $225,000 transfer of funds to Clinton for the depot,” said Fisher. “President of the Board of Supervisors Darrel McQuirter and then-Supervisor Tony Greer worked hard to get these funds, and I sincerely appreciate their cooperative spirit in bringing back a part of Clinton’s past.”
