Southern - Jonesborough Depot

The first depot in Jonesborough was a two-story brick building built around 1856.  While there was a controversy over the location, Thomas A. R. Nelson was instrumental in locating the depot on a lot behind the county jail, on the south side of the tracks, opposite the courthouse.  Paul M. Fink, a Washington County Historian, in his book Jonesborough: The First Century of Tennessee's First Town, described the building as 40 x 103 feet at a cost of $8000. Captain Ross Smith, a railroad Conductor, gives a first-hand account in his book, Reminiscences of an Old Timer, that the first floor was used for freight, and the upper floor for headquarters for the railway.  In addition to other freight such as wheat, corn, oats, fruit, butter and eggs, the depot handled livestock and had facilities for loading cattle, horses and mules.

The Herald and Tribune, dated December 22, 1870, lists Captain Sam Oakey as a "splendid Depot and express agent." 

A long platform running from Fox Street to Cherokee Street, built by the railroad, induced John Blair to build a second story onto his residence for dining.  This convenient venue for train passengers eventually became the Washington House. The depot burned on November 14, 1887.  According to Fink, "no picture has been found that gives any detail of construction...nothing remains to mark the site of the first station in the middle of town."

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In 1887, the second depot was built in the spot originally proposed by A. E. Jackson on land he donated just west of town, now Depot Street.  Jackson had detailed specifications for the building of this depot.  Due to insufficient space in the previous building, Jackson specified the new depot should include freight and passenger areas, with separate waiting rooms for ladies and gentlemen, "all to be good substantial buildings."  Eight passenger trains serviced Jonesborough each day.

This photo shows the right side of the depot looking toward Greeneville.

Southern built three East Tennessee depots in the Greek Revival Style: Mossy Creek/Jefferson City, Limestone, and Jonesborough.  The Jonesborough Depot exhibits three beautiful gable dormers featuring scalloped shingle-siding, with diamond-shaped lattice or lozenge windows. One of two chimneys is visible.

Two windows, the bay ticket window, and two freight doors face the tracks.

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The left side of the Jonesborough Depot looking toward Jonesborough.

This building served as the depot until the 1970s, when it was razed by Southern Railway.

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All that remains of the former Jonesborough Depot is the concrete base.

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View from Depot Street of the concrete base, all that is left of the old Southern Depot, Jonesborough, TN.

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Back side of concrete base of the old Southern Depot facing the tracks , Jonesborough, TN.

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Left side of Concrete base of the old Southern Depot, Jonesborough, TN. The roof of the Chuckey Depot may be seen in the distance down the tracks.

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Right side of Concrete base of the old Southern Depot, Jonesborough, TN.  The steps leading up to the door, shown in the first black and white photograph, are seen here. 

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Looking down the tracks from the old depot site, stands the beautifully restored Chuckey Depot on the other side of the tracks, just a few feet from the original.

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Looking down the tracks from the site of the former Jonesborough Depot, the former Southern Railway train depot, moved to the present location from Chuckey, is peeking out from the trees.

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210 S. Second Avenue - looking up the tracks toward Jonesborough.

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The Chuckey Depot is now beautifully and appropriately situated in the historic town of Jonesborough.  Though this depot is not the same architectural style as the Jonesborough Depot, the historical significance is the same.

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Freight door on the back of the depot.

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Raking eaves and brackets over horizontal wood siding with three, six-over-six windows and a freight door.

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This photo captures the beauty of the polyarch brackets with elaborately carved designs on each end.

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The tracks run in front of the former Chuckey Depot leading to the spot where the Jonesborough Depot used to stand on the left.

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This beautifully restored structure is a mixture of Gothic Revival style and Richardsonian Romanesque with a broad, hipped roof and eyebrow louvre windows.  The depot originally had one chimney, two waiting rooms and a ticket office.  The bay ticket window with two, six-over-six windows and a side entrance door faces the tracks. The boardwalk is reminiscent of a train platform.

Take a journey back in time with this virtual tour of the Chuckey Depot Museum.

Better yet, visit in person!  The station is located at 110 South 2nd Street at the 2nd Street railroad crossing in Historic Jonesborough, Tennessee.

Southern - Jonesborough Depot