Cookeville Railroad Depot
Encyclopedia
The Cookeville Railroad Depot is a railroad depot in Cookeville
, in the U.S. state of Tennessee
. Built by the Tennessee Central Railway
in 1909, the depot served Cookeville until the 1950s when passenger train service to the city was phased out. The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1985 and is currently home to the Cookeville Depot Museum.
Although it was often wrought with financial difficulties and struggled in the face of competition from the larger L&N
and Southern railroads, the construction of the Tennessee Central line was an important political and economic milestone for late-19th century Middle Tennessee. The railroad connected the residents of the Upper Cumberland
region to the outside world, and gave the region's farmers access to major markets in Nashville
and Knoxville
. The railroad also brought urbanization and modern development to Cookeville and other cities in the Upper Cumberland and Cumberland Plateau
regions.
, large-scale railroad construction occurred in East Tennessee and the Nashville and Memphis areas, but the difficult terrain of the Highland Rim
and the Cumberland Plateau stalled the railroad's advance into the Upper Cumberland region. In the 1870s, the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad
built a line connecting Nashville and Lebanon
(this line was purchased by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
in 1877). Politicians and newspaper reporters across the Upper Cumberland region initiated a massive publicity campaign in the early 1880s calling for the railroad to be extended across Middle Tennessee.
In 1884, mining entrepreneur Alexander Crawford, believing the Upper Cumberland region to be endowed with vast deposits of high-quality coal, chartered the Nashville & Knoxville Railroad with plans to extend the railroad across the Cumberland Plateau and allow shipment of coal to markets in Nashville and Knoxville. Although a particularly difficult stretch between Watertown
and Silver Point— requiring the building of several trestle
s across the Caney Fork— slowed the railroad's construction, the Nashville & Knoxville's tracks nevertheless reached Cookeville in July 1890. Although Crawford died shortly thereafter, his sons continued his work, and managed to extend the tracks to Monterey
, at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.
In 1893, Middle Tennessee businessman Jere Baxter
(1852–1904) chartered the Tennessee Central Railroad with plans to continue what Crawford had started. Like Crawford, Baxter faced major economic obstacles. He raised funds by selling bonds to Cumberland and Roane counties, and saved money by using convict labor. He also had to overcome legal maneuvering by the L&N and Southern railroads, who feared the Tennessee Central's competition. In 1898, the Tennessee Central completed its eastern section, connecting Monterey with the Southern tracks at Harriman
. Baxter purchased the Nashville & Knoxville Railroad in 1902, and two years later the Tennessee Central completed a line from Nashville to the Illinois Central
tracks at Hopkinsville, Kentucky
, thus connecting Middle Tennessee to the rest of the country. Cookeville residents could now travel all the way to Minnesota
via 10-hour train ride.
After Baxter's death in 1904, the Tennessee Central continued to struggle with financing. It attempted lease arrangements with both the Illinois Central and Southern Railroad, but by 1908 these arrangements had been abandoned. In 1912, the Tennessee Central was placed in receivership
, and in subsequent years was reorganized with more of a focus on freight traffic. By the mid-20th century, the rise of automobile and bus travel brought about the decline of passenger trains. The last passenger train left Cookeville on July 31, 1955.
, and several repair shops. The Tennessee Central replaced the N&K depot with the present pagoda
-like structure in 1909, although it moved the service facilities to Monterey.
The presence of the railroad depot led to a boom in housing construction in Cookeville. Residences were built along or near the tracks, and a shanty town
known as "Boxtown" developed in the vicinity of what is now Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Shops lined the road between the depot and the courthouse square, culminating in a large shopping mall known as "The Arcade," which was located across the street from the Putnam County Courthouse. The railroad also made possible the establishment of Dixie College and Tennessee Polytechnic Institute— the forerunners of Tennessee Technological University
.
, originally used by the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway
between 1913 and 1950, was acquired by the museum in 2002 and its appearance modified to match contemporary Tennessee Central engines. The museum acquired an L&N bay window caboose
(with a newer gray-and-yellow paint scheme, as a opposed to the traditional red) in 1985, and in 2005 restored a red cupola-style caboose to its original appearance.
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
, in the U.S. state of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Built by the Tennessee Central Railway
Tennessee Central Railway
The Tennessee Central Railway was founded in 1884 as the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad by Alexander S. Crawford. It was an attempt to open up a rail route from the coal and minerals of East Tennessee to the markets of the midstate, a service which many businessmen felt was not being adequately...
in 1909, the depot served Cookeville until the 1950s when passenger train service to the city was phased out. The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1985 and is currently home to the Cookeville Depot Museum.
Although it was often wrought with financial difficulties and struggled in the face of competition from the larger L&N
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
and Southern railroads, the construction of the Tennessee Central line was an important political and economic milestone for late-19th century Middle Tennessee. The railroad connected the residents of the Upper Cumberland
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
region to the outside world, and gave the region's farmers access to major markets in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. The railroad also brought urbanization and modern development to Cookeville and other cities in the Upper Cumberland and Cumberland Plateau
Cumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
regions.
Construction of the Tennessee Central
After the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, large-scale railroad construction occurred in East Tennessee and the Nashville and Memphis areas, but the difficult terrain of the Highland Rim
Highland Rim
The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions....
and the Cumberland Plateau stalled the railroad's advance into the Upper Cumberland region. In the 1870s, the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad
Tennessee and Pacific Railroad
The Tennessee and Pacific Railroad was a 19th-century American company that operated a rail line from Lebanon, Tennessee, to Nashville, Tennessee.The state of Tennessee chartered the railroad on May 24, 1866...
built a line connecting Nashville and Lebanon
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
(this line was purchased by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
in 1877). Politicians and newspaper reporters across the Upper Cumberland region initiated a massive publicity campaign in the early 1880s calling for the railroad to be extended across Middle Tennessee.
In 1884, mining entrepreneur Alexander Crawford, believing the Upper Cumberland region to be endowed with vast deposits of high-quality coal, chartered the Nashville & Knoxville Railroad with plans to extend the railroad across the Cumberland Plateau and allow shipment of coal to markets in Nashville and Knoxville. Although a particularly difficult stretch between Watertown
Watertown, Tennessee
Watertown is a town located in Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population during the 2000 census was 1,358 people.-History:Prior to the town's establishment, the land was an American Revolutionary War grant given to Colonel Archibald Lytle and his brother William Lytle.Around 1790, the...
and Silver Point— requiring the building of several trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
s across the Caney Fork— slowed the railroad's construction, the Nashville & Knoxville's tracks nevertheless reached Cookeville in July 1890. Although Crawford died shortly thereafter, his sons continued his work, and managed to extend the tracks to Monterey
Monterey, Tennessee
Monterey is a town in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cookeville, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monterey is located at ....
, at the edge of the Cumberland Plateau.
In 1893, Middle Tennessee businessman Jere Baxter
Jere Baxter
Jere Baxter was a Tennessee businessman, lawyer, and politician who founded the Tennessee Central Railroad, established a newspaper in Nashville, served in the Tennessee State Senate, helped found the communities of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, and Sheffield, Alabama, and unsuccessfully sought the...
(1852–1904) chartered the Tennessee Central Railroad with plans to continue what Crawford had started. Like Crawford, Baxter faced major economic obstacles. He raised funds by selling bonds to Cumberland and Roane counties, and saved money by using convict labor. He also had to overcome legal maneuvering by the L&N and Southern railroads, who feared the Tennessee Central's competition. In 1898, the Tennessee Central completed its eastern section, connecting Monterey with the Southern tracks at Harriman
Harriman, Tennessee
Harriman is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, primarily in Roane County, with a small extension into Morgan County. It is the principal city of and is included in the Harriman Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Roane County and is a component of the Knoxville-Sevierville-La...
. Baxter purchased the Nashville & Knoxville Railroad in 1902, and two years later the Tennessee Central completed a line from Nashville to the Illinois Central
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
tracks at Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Christian County.- History :...
, thus connecting Middle Tennessee to the rest of the country. Cookeville residents could now travel all the way to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
via 10-hour train ride.
After Baxter's death in 1904, the Tennessee Central continued to struggle with financing. It attempted lease arrangements with both the Illinois Central and Southern Railroad, but by 1908 these arrangements had been abandoned. In 1912, the Tennessee Central was placed in receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
, and in subsequent years was reorganized with more of a focus on freight traffic. By the mid-20th century, the rise of automobile and bus travel brought about the decline of passenger trains. The last passenger train left Cookeville on July 31, 1955.
Cookeville Depot
The Nashville & Knoxville Railroad constructed the first railroad depot at Cookeville in the 1890s. The mere announcement of the company's plans for the depot "one half-mile west of the courthouse" caused property values in the western section of town to skyrocket. Along with the depot, N&K built a two-story office building, a reservoirPressure vessel
A pressure vessel is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure.The pressure differential is dangerous and many fatal accidents have occurred in the history of their development and operation. Consequently, their design,...
, and several repair shops. The Tennessee Central replaced the N&K depot with the present pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
-like structure in 1909, although it moved the service facilities to Monterey.
The presence of the railroad depot led to a boom in housing construction in Cookeville. Residences were built along or near the tracks, and a shanty town
Shanty town
A shanty town is a slum settlement of impoverished people who live in improvised dwellings made from scrap materials: often plywood, corrugated metal and sheets of plastic...
known as "Boxtown" developed in the vicinity of what is now Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Shops lined the road between the depot and the courthouse square, culminating in a large shopping mall known as "The Arcade," which was located across the street from the Putnam County Courthouse. The railroad also made possible the establishment of Dixie College and Tennessee Polytechnic Institute— the forerunners of Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
.
Cookeville Depot Museum
The City of Cookeville, with help from the nonprofit group Friends of the Depot, currently maintains the Cookeville Depot as a museum. Along with the depot, the museum maintains a collection of train cars and railroad memorabilia. A Baldwin LocomotiveBaldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
, originally used by the Louisiana and Arkansas Railway
Louisiana and Arkansas Railway
The Louisiana and Arkansas Railway was a railroad that operated in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. The railroad's main line extended 332 miles, from Hope, Arkansas to Shreveport and New Orleans...
between 1913 and 1950, was acquired by the museum in 2002 and its appearance modified to match contemporary Tennessee Central engines. The museum acquired an L&N bay window caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
(with a newer gray-and-yellow paint scheme, as a opposed to the traditional red) in 1985, and in 2005 restored a red cupola-style caboose to its original appearance.