Oak Hill Railroad Depot
Encyclopedia
The Oak Hill Railroad Depot is a historic depot
in Oak Hill
, West Virginia
, United States
. The depot is located on the southwest corner of Virginia Avenue and Central Avenue. It opened as a station on the White Oak Railway in 1903 and later became part of the Virginian Railway
, which it served until 1957. From this year until closure in 1983, it operated as a depot for the Norfolk and Western Railway
. The depot now serves as the meeting place for the White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
. It is the only remaining Virginian Railway depot in West Virginia.
to coal mines in Summerlee
and Lochgelly
; it initially served as both a checkpoint for coal cars from these mines and a freight and passenger station for the newly incorporated town of Oak Hill. The station's opening led to a commercial boom in Oak Hill, which transformed from a farming community to a commercial center with multiple banks, hotels, and stores. The Virginian Railway
leased the depot in 1912 and ultimately bought it in 1922. The depot continued to provide passenger and freight service to Oak Hill until after World War II
, when passenger service to Oak Hill ended . The depot became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway
in 1957 and provided freight service for the railway until it closed to trains in 1983.
The Norfolk Southern Corp.
, the holding company
for the Norfolk and Western Railway, donated the closed depot to the city of Oak Hill in 1995. The White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
has since restored the depot through donations and a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. Oak Hill began an annual festival known as Depot Day in 1997 to raise money to restore the depot. The depot presently serves as a meeting place for the White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society but is otherwise vacant; it is the sole surviving Virginian Railway depot in West Virginia.
tracks. It has a board and batten siding with Victorian
features, a style representative of small-town railway depots of the early 1900s. The original depot consisted of a passenger waiting area and a station master's office. A warehouse, loading dock, and ramp were added to the depot in 1922. Restoration on the depot began in 1993, at which point it was painted a period shade of gray. Behind the depot, there is a small steam locomotive.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in Oak Hill
Oak Hill, West Virginia
Oak Hill is a city in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States and is the primary city within the Oak Hill, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. The micropolitan area is also included in the Beckley-Oak Hill, WV Combined Statistical Area. The population was 7,589 at the 2000 census...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The depot is located on the southwest corner of Virginia Avenue and Central Avenue. It opened as a station on the White Oak Railway in 1903 and later became part of the Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
, which it served until 1957. From this year until closure in 1983, it operated as a depot for the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
. The depot now serves as the meeting place for the White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
. It is the only remaining Virginian Railway depot in West Virginia.
History
The Oak Hill Railroad Depot opened in 1903 on the White Oak Railway, a subsidiary of the White Oak Coal Company. The depot served a line from Glen JeanGlen Jean, West Virginia
Glen Jean is an unincorporated census-designated place in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, near Oak Hill. As of the 2010 census, its population is 210....
to coal mines in Summerlee
Summerlee, West Virginia
Summerlee is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Summerlee is north-northwest of Oak Hill....
and Lochgelly
Lochgelly, West Virginia
Lochgelly is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Lochgelly is north of Oak Hill. Lochgelly has a post office with ZIP code 25866....
; it initially served as both a checkpoint for coal cars from these mines and a freight and passenger station for the newly incorporated town of Oak Hill. The station's opening led to a commercial boom in Oak Hill, which transformed from a farming community to a commercial center with multiple banks, hotels, and stores. The Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
leased the depot in 1912 and ultimately bought it in 1922. The depot continued to provide passenger and freight service to Oak Hill until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when passenger service to Oak Hill ended . The depot became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
in 1957 and provided freight service for the railway until it closed to trains in 1983.
The Norfolk Southern Corp.
Norfolk Southern Corp.
The Norfolk Southern Corporation is a publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. It is the holding company for the Norfolk Southern Railway, a major Class I railroad system. The company was formed in 1982 to control the Norfolk and Western Railway as well as the Southern Railway...
, the holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
for the Norfolk and Western Railway, donated the closed depot to the city of Oak Hill in 1995. The White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
has since restored the depot through donations and a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. Oak Hill began an annual festival known as Depot Day in 1997 to raise money to restore the depot. The depot presently serves as a meeting place for the White Oak chapter of the National Railway Historical Society but is otherwise vacant; it is the sole surviving Virginian Railway depot in West Virginia.
Structure
The Oak Hill Railroad Depot is a one-story wooden building located on the southwest corner of Central Avenue and Virginia Street, along the Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
tracks. It has a board and batten siding with Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
features, a style representative of small-town railway depots of the early 1900s. The original depot consisted of a passenger waiting area and a station master's office. A warehouse, loading dock, and ramp were added to the depot in 1922. Restoration on the depot began in 1993, at which point it was painted a period shade of gray. Behind the depot, there is a small steam locomotive.