Southern - Limestone Depot

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The railroad came to Freedom in 1857.  When Jacob Klepper donated land for the depot, the name was changed to Klepper's Depot.   During the Civil War, the area became known as Limestone in reference to Limestone Creek.  

This photograph of the Gothic style Limestone Depot, from the book: Limestone, by James Brooks, shows a rare shot of the side of the depot facing Big Limestone Road.  Two of three, of the beautiful gable dormers feature scalloped shingle-siding, with diamond-shaped lattice or lozenge windows.  In this photograph from the 1950s, a plank sidewalk encompasses two sides.  One of two chimneys is visible.

The tall pole on the left side of the photo above is a semaphore signal.  In the daytime, the two-position arm blades, placed either horizontally or vertically, indicated whether a train was to stop at the station temporarily in order to receive messages for the crew, to pass by without stopping, or to stop and wait.  At night, colored lights of red and green were used.  Kerosene was used in the late 1800s, but was replaced by electric bulbs in the early 1900s. 

 

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This view of the Limestone Depot shows an identical eave roof on the left "front" facing Big Limestone Road as well as the "back" side facing the tracks and Maple Street.  A double window with a ticket counter, as well as the entrance door are on this side.   

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The Depot was mentioned as early as 1858 in, History of Washington County Tennessee, as having "livestock yards and facilities for loading cattle and horses." 

The photographs depicted here from a book entitled, "Limestone" by James Brooks, show the importance of the depot as a bustling supply and transportation center for the people of the community.

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According to Brooks, cattle drives were conducted right on Main Street!  The cattle came in on the trains, were loaded into the stock pens, then driven to their destination.  Note the man on horseback in this photograph.

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In this 1986 postcard from the Mildred S. Kozsuch Papers a large metal storage container has been added on the left side, and a silo on the right.  The signs say: Davis Supply Feed Service.

Today...

Once a beautiful building of Gothic architecture, today the Limestone depot, unfortunately, is in a state of decay.  Three depots shared the same design: Mossy Creek/Jefferson City, Jonesborough, and Limestone.  This is the only building left with this design.

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Approaching the depot from Big Limestone Road, kudzu covers the upper window, but the deteriorating freight door is still visibile.

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The 160+ year old entrance looks the same with the beautiful gable brackets and diamond-shaped windows still intact.  

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A signature design of depots, are the brackets above this freight door.  The sliding door is still there. 

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A close-up view of the double ticket window emphasizes the soil erosion.  Nearly one foot of the wall below the window, as well as the sidewalk, are now under ground.

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The counter still remains, covered in shattered glass from the broken window.

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This photo was taken through the broken ticket window.  

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A chimney thimble port, wiring for lighting, a window for customers, and the beadboard walls and ceiling are visible here.

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This side, too, had a sidewalk in front.  The scalloped shingle-siding is still visible, and just under the kudzu, the diamond-shaped window remains.

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The side of the depot facing Big Limestone Road is completely covered in kudzu.  A chimney is still visible.

Photos may be enlarged by clicking on the photo, then clicking on the photo again.

Southern - Limestone Depot