Terminal Station (Atlanta)
Encyclopedia
Terminal Station in Atlanta was the larger of two principal train station
s in downtown
, Union Station
being the other. Opening in 1905, Terminal Station served Southern Railway
, Seaboard Air Line, Central of Georgia (including the Nancy Hanks
to Savannah
), and the Atlanta and West Point
. The architect
was P. Thornton Marye, whose firm also designed the Fox Theater and Capital City Club
in downtown Atlanta, as well as the
Birmingham Terminal Station
.
At the station's opening in 1905 the military band
of the 16th Infantry Regiment
played "Down in Dixie" according to a report that appeared in the Atlanta Journal.
In its 20th century heyday, Atlanta Terminal Station was used by such well-known trains of the time as the Crescent, Man 'o War, Nancy Hanks, Ponce de Leon
, and Silver Comet
. A veritable rail-travel crossroads of the American south-east, it was a critical railroad link between the warm climate of Florida and the Gulf Coast, and the rather colder, more densely-populated states of the north-east and mid-west. For many northern Americans, Atlanta Terminal was the gateway to the sunshine. The Atlanta Convention Bureau released a postcard in the 1920s that claimed that Terminal Station was served by 86 trains per day.
The train shed
that had originally been built along side the head house
was torn down in 1925. The Southern Railway built an office building next door to the station at 99 Spring Street that is still standing, although the Southern eventually moved their local offices to another building in Atlanta. On 17 May 1938 a five story Terminal Hotel, that had been built across the street from Terminal Station, burned in a disaster that claimed 27 lives. The station head house was renovated in 1947 just after World War II
.
After Terminal Station closed in June 1970, Amtrak
was created in 1971 and remaining passenger train service in Atlanta shifted to the much smaller Peachtree Station, commonly known as Brookwood
Station. Terminal Station was raze
d in 1972, although Southern retained one platform for its use. The site of Terminal Station is now the Richard B. Russell Federal Building
which was built in 1979.
The aforementioned platform, an old switch tower, and a portion of lead trackage are all that remain of the station.
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...
s in downtown
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
, Union Station
Union Station (Atlanta)
The Union Station built in 1930 in Atlanta was the smaller of two principal train stations in downtown, Terminal Station being the other. It was the third "union station" or "union depot" , succeeding the the 1853 station, burned in the Battle of Atlanta, and the the 1871 station.The station was...
being the other. Opening in 1905, Terminal Station served Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
, Seaboard Air Line, Central of Georgia (including the Nancy Hanks
Nancy Hanks (passenger train)
The Nancy Hanks was a popular Central of Georgia Railway passenger train in Georgia running between Atlanta and Savannah. It was named after a race horse who was named for Abraham Lincoln's mother. The name is even older than the mid-20th century train derived from that of a short-lived but famous...
to Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
), and the Atlanta and West Point
Atlanta and West Point Rail Road
The Atlanta and West Point Rail Road was a railroad in the U.S. state of Georgia, forming the east portion of the Atlanta-Selma West Point Route. The company was chartered in 1847 as the Atlanta and LaGrange Rail Road and renamed in 1857; construction was begun in 1849-50 and completed in May 1854...
. The architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was P. Thornton Marye, whose firm also designed the Fox Theater and Capital City Club
Capital City Club
The Capital City Club is a private social club located in Atlanta, Georgia. Chartered on May 21, 1883, it is one of the oldest private clubs in the South.-History:...
in downtown Atlanta, as well as the
Birmingham Terminal Station
Birmingham Terminal Station
Birmingham Terminal Station, completed in 1909, was the principal railway station for Birmingham, Alabama until the 1950s. It was demolished in 1969 and its loss still serves as a rallying image for local preservationists.-Beginnings:...
.
At the station's opening in 1905 the military band
Military band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
of the 16th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 16th Infantry Regiment is a regiment in the United States Army.-Formation:The 34th Infantry Regiment and 11th Infantry Regiment consolidated into the 16th Infantry Regiment on 3 March 1869. The 11th Infantry's history prior to the consolidation is normally included with the 16th's.-U.S...
played "Down in Dixie" according to a report that appeared in the Atlanta Journal.
In its 20th century heyday, Atlanta Terminal Station was used by such well-known trains of the time as the Crescent, Man 'o War, Nancy Hanks, Ponce de Leon
Ponce de Leon (train)
The Ponce de Leon was a named train of the Southern Railway which ran from Cincinnati, Ohio to Jacksonville, Florida from 1924 to the mid-1960s.-Operations:...
, and Silver Comet
Silver Comet (train)
The Silver Comet was a streamlined passenger train inaugurated on May 18, 1947, by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad...
. A veritable rail-travel crossroads of the American south-east, it was a critical railroad link between the warm climate of Florida and the Gulf Coast, and the rather colder, more densely-populated states of the north-east and mid-west. For many northern Americans, Atlanta Terminal was the gateway to the sunshine. The Atlanta Convention Bureau released a postcard in the 1920s that claimed that Terminal Station was served by 86 trains per day.
The train shed
Train shed
A train shed is an adjacent building to a railway station where the tracks and platforms are covered by a roof. It is also known as an overall roof...
that had originally been built along side the head house
Head house
A head house is a part of a train station.-Rail terminals:In the context of rail transport, head house refers to that portion of a passenger terminal not housing the tracks and platforms themselves. Typically, the head house contains ticket counters, toilets and baggage facilities, if there are...
was torn down in 1925. The Southern Railway built an office building next door to the station at 99 Spring Street that is still standing, although the Southern eventually moved their local offices to another building in Atlanta. On 17 May 1938 a five story Terminal Hotel, that had been built across the street from Terminal Station, burned in a disaster that claimed 27 lives. The station head house was renovated in 1947 just 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...
.
After Terminal Station closed in June 1970, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
was created in 1971 and remaining passenger train service in Atlanta shifted to the much smaller Peachtree Station, commonly known as Brookwood
Brookwood Hills
Brookwood Hills is an historic neighborhood located in intown Atlanta, Georgia, USA, north of Midtown and south-southwest of Buckhead. Home to about 1000 people, it was founded in the early 1920s by Benjamin Franklin Burdett and his son, Arthur...
Station. Terminal Station was raze
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
d in 1972, although Southern retained one platform for its use. The site of Terminal Station is now the Richard B. Russell Federal Building
Richard B. Russell Federal Building
The Richard B. Russell Federal Building is a 26-storey International style building in Atlanta, Georgia housing U.S. government agency offices and federal courts.-External links:*...
which was built in 1979.
The aforementioned platform, an old switch tower, and a portion of lead trackage are all that remain of the station.