Gainesville Station (Texas)
History
The station was built in 1902 as a depot for the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF Railway), replacing a smaller frame structure constructed in the 1890s. Like many Santa Fe stations of the time, the first floor was populated by a Harvey House restaurant, which operated until 1931.
The station was a major destination during World War II due to its proximity to Camp Howze, a major infantry training facility. In 1944, Gainesville was the eighth-most travelled station on the Santa Fe Railway.
Passenger rail travel declined following the end of World War II due to the increasing popularity of automobile travel, which serviced Gainesville through U.S. Route 77 (and later Interstate 35). Passenger rail service ceased on December 5, 1979 with the discontinuation of Amtrak's Lone Star train. The railway deeded the depot to the city on October 19, 1981, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
On June 15, 1999, the station was brought into service once again for Amtrak's new Heartland Flyer service. The station house underwent a restoration, which was completed on October 6, 2001.
Currently, the station's first floor is a branch of the Morton Museum of Cooke County, which contains memorabilia for the railroad, Harvey House, Coca-Cola, and the Gainesville Community Circus. The second floor contains a replica of Harvey House's employee quarters, as well as city offices. The building can be rented out for events.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Cooke County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Cooke County
References
- ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Texas" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Texas SP Santa Fe Passenger Depot". National Archives Catalog. September 7, 1983. pp. 2–4, 6. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ "Gainesville, Texas (GLE)". The Great American Stations. Amtrak. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ "Santa Fe Depot Museum". Morton Museum of Cooke County. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
External links
- Gainesville, TX – Amtrak
- Gainesville, TX – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
- Heartland Flyer - Gainesville
- Gainesville Amtrak & Former Santa Fe Station - Train Web
- Gainesville, TX - Santa Fe Surviving Depots
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