Blog Archives

Blouston Train

4/21/2023

The Marianna and Blountstown Railroad is located on Highway 71 in Blountstown, Florida was Calhoun County’s link to the commerce of the nation. Until 1929, the M&B (also affectionately known as “Many Bumps” or “Meat and Bread”) provided passenger service, carried mail, agricultural products, manufacturing goods, and building products. In the early years, logging spur lines extended into remote areas of the county and millions of board feet made from long-leaf pine lumber were shipped from local sawmills.

Steam locomotive #444 was in operation when the M&B’s first diesel engine arrived in 1947 and rests today on the exact location of the old M&B roadbed. Climb aboard the historic locomotive and caboose." Source: Explore NW Florida

Cross City Train Depot

4/21/2023

In the early 1900s, trains were replacing the steamship as the freight and passenger carrier throughout the Suwannee River Valley. This part of the railroad went through Cross City and this was a train depot. Today the railroad has been converted to a paved bicycle trail but you can still find historical things like this along the trail. This building was closed. Credit Florida Trailblazer

16363 NW Hwy 19, Cross City Florida

Trenton Train Depot

4/21/2023

The Atlantic Coast Line built the railroad through Trenton in 1906 and went on across the Suwannee River to Cross City, Perry, and Tallahassee. Once the railroad was completed through Trenton, it began bringing in the mail. Before then, the mail came twice a week from Gainesville as part of a Star Rural Route. Eventually, trucks carrying the mail would replace the train and bring in mail everyday except for Sundays and holidays. Source: Florida Trailblazer

Gainesville Train Depot (1860)

4/18/2023

"A portion of this building was constructed in c.1860. It is the only remaining Civil War railroad depot from the Florida Railroad line which ran from Fernandina to Cedar Key. During the Battle of Gainesville on August 17, 1864, Union troops took up positions along the railroad and in the depot, and were driven out by the Confederate forces. It is one of only three known surviving Florida Civil War railroad depots, the other two being located on the Pensacola & Georgia Railroad line". Credit: Visit Florida.

The Old Gainesville Depot (also known as the Seaboard Air Line Depot or Baird Warehouse) is a historic site at 203 Southeast Depot Avenue in Gainesville, Florida. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 1996. Part of the Depot was built around 1860 to serve the Florida Railroad, which reached Gainesville from Fernandina in 1859. It is one of only three surviving railroad depots in the state built prior to the start of the American Civil War. The depot was situated with tracks on both sides. Between 1892 and 1897 the depot was remodeled to provide two passenger waiting rooms, one for whites and one for Blacks. Source: Roadtrippers

Dunnellon Train Depot

4/17/2023

The town was founded in 1887 and is named for a pioneer railroad man, J. F. Dunn. It started as a railroad town, with its first building being a boarding house, built in the late 1800s for railroad workers.Florida Back Roads Travel. Dunnellon is the town where one of the first discoveries of hard rock phosphate that led to the mining boom in Florida.

Dunnellon was a railroad town in 1890 when trains provided a major source of transportation. In or around 1908 the Atlantic Coast Line railroad built the depot on South Williams Street which remains today and is maintained by the Dunnellon Historical Society.

Tallahassee Train Depot

4/17/2023

The Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad Company Freight Depot, built in 1858, is one of the oldest railroad buildings in Florida and the oldest still used as a passenger rail station. The one-story depot was built when Tallahassee, was the center of Florida's cotton trade.

By 1885 the two-story addition was added. Middle Florida (now North Florida), with its rich agriculture lands, grew rapidly in the 19th century. By 1890, Leon County was the top producer of livestock, sweet potatoes, corn and cotton in the state with cotton in great demand. Tallahassee was the region's commercial hub, bales of pinned cotton in 1860, shipping 16,686 wagons brought the cotton from local plantations to be processed. (continued - see marker below).

Gainesville Solar Walk

4/16/2023

Ginger and I walked the Solar Walk in Gainesville - a four-billion-to-one scale model of our solar system built in 2002. The entire walk has planet monuments spaced to scale (requiring the 'walk' to extend for over a mile). Each monument includes a plaque highlighting information of interest for that planet.

All planets are represented in 2002 and each monument represents a different planet. We also came across two comets as we walked, and fortunately Ginger's quick pace allowed us to avoid a collision. Below are the monuments, information plaque sample and Haley's comet. Click to open photos.

Waldo Train Depot

4/16/2023

The Red Caboose located in the City Park, was acquired by the city of Waldo from the Seaboard System Railroad(CSX Corp.) in 1986. It serves as an inspiration for the annual Waldo Railroad Days held in April. Two historical markers located nearby give a brief history of the town and information about Waldo during the Civil War.
Source of information - Waldo History

Dunedin Train Depot (1888)

4/14/2023

The train depot, now a museum is housed in the railroad depot built by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1924. The former rail line that serviced the depot, originally built by the Orange Belt Railway in 1888 and last used for a series of special excursion trips from nearby Tarpon Springs and back on March 8, 1987, was converted into a section of the Pinellas Trail in the 1990s Source: Wiki Dunedin

DeFuniak Springs Train Depot (1885)

4/14/2023

The depot served as the primary entry point for excursion trains during the Florida Chautauqua assemblies lasting from 1885 to 1928. As many as 4,000 passengers a day arrived at this station during the height of the Chautauqua era. Performing bands welcomed arriving passengers before guests advanced to the ticket gatehouse which stood next to the original depot (no longer standing) to purchase their daily pass or season ticket to be on these historic grounds.

This is not the original structure built as a depot on or near this site. The original 1885 depot sat in the middle of what is now Circle Drive (directly in front of you.) That structure was torn down and replaced on the site of the current structure. No records today conclude whether the second structure was remodeled or replaced with the current one, but evidence shows that the structure before you was remodeled in 1910 to accommodate the enormous crowds arriving by excursion trains at the height of the Chautauqua era. Source: DeFuniak Springs Train Station

Crystal River Train Depot (1887)

4/14/2023

The first railroad depot in Citrus County was located on this site soon after the completion of the county's first rail line from Dunnellon in 1887. Constructed by the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad, the spur line would be continued to Homosassa with service beginning in 1888.

The railroad was consolidated into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad in 1901, and a year later became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Company.

The railroad provided a better way to ship and receive goods and made it easier for tourists to travel. The depot became the hub of a growing business area since Crystal Street was the main road going east. The original depot burned down around 1900 and was rebuilt around 1901-1902.
Source: HMDB

Inverness Train Depot

4/12/2023

The Inverness train depot, also known as the Inverness Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, was built in 1908 by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to serve the growing community of Inverness and the surrounding citrus industry.

The station was a hub of activity in the early 20th century, serving as a vital link between the rural areas of Citrus County and the rest of the state. The station was a popular stop for passengers traveling to and from Inverness, as well as for shipping goods and produce from the area.

During World War II, the station played an important role in the war effort by serving as a transportation hub for soldiers and supplies. In the post-war years, however, the station's importance waned as automobile travel became more popular and the citrus industry declined.
In the 1980s, the station was restored the depot and turn it into a museum and retail shops.
Source: ChatGPT

Winter Garden Train Depot (1913)

4/10/2023

It was originally built in 1913 by the Tavares and Gulf Railroad, which later became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The depot served as a transportation hub for passengers and goods in the area, and was an important part of the local economy.

The depot was designed in the Mission Revival style, a popular architectural style in the early 20th century that was characterized by the use of Spanish and Mexican design elements, such as stucco walls, red tile roofs, and decorative tile work. The Winter Garden depot is one of the few remaining examples of this style in the area.

In the 1960s, the depot was closed and fell into disrepair. However, in the 1990s, the city of Winter Garden began a restoration project to bring the depot back to its former glory. The project included a complete renovation of the building, as well as the addition of a museum and event space. ChatGPT

Tarpon Springs Train Depot (1909)

4/10/2023

In 1905, the Orange Belt Railroad was extended to Tarpon Springs, providing an efficient means of transportation for the sponge industry. The railroad line connected Tarpon Springs with other major cities in Florida, such as Tampa and St. Petersburg, and allowed for easier shipping of sponges to markets across the country.

The Tarpon Springs Train Depot was built in 1909 and served as a vital transportation hub for the sponge industry. The depot was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, which was popular at the time and was in keeping with the area's Greek heritage. The depot was a bustling center of activity, with trains arriving and departing daily to transport sponges and other goods. ... Source: ChatGPT

Learn more about Tarpon Springs at Florida Backroads Travel

Dade City Train Depot (1912)

4/1/2023

The train depot has a rich history dating back to the late 1800s. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) built the depot in 1912, replacing an earlier structure that had burned down.
The depot served as a hub for transportation in the area, connecting Dade City with other parts of Florida and the rest of the country. The railroad brought passengers, mail, and goods into town and helped boost the local economy.

During World War II, the depot was a busy center of activity as soldiers and supplies passed through on their way to training camps and military bases. After the war, the depot continued to serve the community until passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s.

In the 1980s, the depot was restored and converted into a museum. Today, visitors can tour the depot and see exhibits on the town's past, including the agriculture, cattle ranching, and citrus industries that once thrived in the area. The Dade City Train Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lutz Historic Train Depot

4/1/2023

The station was the first and only train station for Lutz. In 1907 the Tampa Northern Railroad was built, connecting Tampa to Brooksville and points north, putting a stage coach line out of business. An engineer on the line, William Lutz, named one of the stops where the train picked up more wood for its steam engine after himself: Lutz Station.The Lutz train depot was a key hub for transporting goods and passengers in and out of the area. The depot was also an important gathering place for the community, as it was a central location for social events and celebrations.

Also, in the early 20th century, the train depot played a role in the development of the citrus industry in the Lutz area. Citrus growers would transport their crops to the depot, where they could be shipped to markets throughout the country.

Over time, as automobile travel became more popular, the demand for train travel decreased. The Lutz train depot eventually closed in the 1960s and fell into disrepair but restored later. The depot has been added to the National Register of Historic Places and is used as a community center for events and gatherings.

Source: Travel for Taste; See also History of Lutz