On this day in 1904, the Chestnut Street Train Station opened. Also called the Southern Passenger Station, it was located on a pie-slice piece of land on Chestnut Street, between Third and Fourth Streets.
The architect for the station was Frank Milburn. He also designed other buildings in Winston-Salem, such as the second Forsyth County Courthouse (1897), the Wachovia Building (1911), and First Baptist Church (1901).
The train station in Salisbury was also designed by Milburn, and it is still standing. It serves as the home for the Salisbury Historical Society, and was used in a scene in the movie, Leathernecks. One of the large rooms in the station is available for renting to host wedding receptions, dinners, and other special occasions.
Railroad passenger traffic increased to the point of needing a larger station, so a new depot was built on Claremont Avenue in 1926.
Photo courtesy of Molly Grogan Rawls.
