Historic Adairsville Depot to get makeover over next 12 to 18 months From Staff Reports
Adairsville’s historic railroad depot will be getting a $65,000 makeover of its exhibit space. Believed to have been constructed in the mid 1840s, the depot serves as a welcome center and houses the Adairsville Railroad Depot Age of Steam Museum.
Work is expected to begin in late summer or early fall on the project funded by the city of Adairsville and some private grants.
Beth Smith, with the Sans Souci Women’s Club — which staffs the depot with volunteers — said Kennesaw State University professor Jennifer Dickey and her students are researching the depot and developing some special exhibits.
“It will be a slow process, 12 to 18 months is what we’re thinking,” Smith said.
Two model train exhibits are planned.
One will depict the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, when Yankee spies led by James Andrews hijacked a train dubbed The General near Kennesaw. The mission was designed to destroy the Atlanta-to-Chattanooga rail line, which was a major supply line for Confederate troops. The Yankees raced north through Adairsville with the stolen locomotive. A southbound train was commandeered at Adairsville and joined the chase, running in reverse, before Andrew’s Raiders were finally stopped near Tunnel Hill.
The other exhibit will be divided, with half of it depicting Adairville in pre-Civil War days and the other half showing the city as it is today. Both of the train displays will be constructed by David Bennett of Train Installations LLC. Georgia Power and Johnny-on-the-Spot are sponsoring the model train displays.