I’ve recently been following The Infrastructurist blog [Update: broken link] and one of my favorite blog posts recently has been “Demolished! 11 Beautiful Train Stations That Fell To The Wrecking Ball (And The Crappy Stuff Built In Their Place)”. [Update: broken link] Check it out and look at the gorgeous train stations that cities once had but demolished because train travel use was heavily decreasing.
This led me to do some research to see what has happened to some of Raleigh’s old train stations. I’ll have to give a tip of the hat to the Piedmont and Western Railroad Club for this page listing all the train stations in Raleigh. Fortunately for us, most of them have survived and the website lists Union Depot, at the corner of Dawson and Martin Street, still standing today since 1890. Go to the page for more photos, past and present.
See a picture of Union Depot in 1928 on Flickr (via North Carolina State Archives)
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It is amazing how much beautiful urbanity was lost in the name of “progress”. I am not a fanatic when it comes to preservation – it has to be something really nice, or very historic, to get my love and sympathy – but when I see the monstrosities that replaced beautiful structures I cannot help but scream.
In Raleigh, we have both good examples (nice buildings that were spared the wrecking ball) and bad examples (nice buildings that were lost and never replaced with something great). We can do a better job, and I hope that developers who have proposed new projects will take that in consideration.
Great post!
Finally, this historic building is getting the recognition it deserves. It’s pretty anonymous to most passersby, I’m sure. As an interesting side note: There is a US Geodetic Survey benchmark, dated 1918, embedded in the south wall. Ever noticed it, Leo? These things are all over downtown.
http://img.geocaching.com/benchmark/lg/2a0e316f-7d44-4986-a2ac-796e2a55eaa9.jpg
There’s another 1918 marker in the north wall of the Fayetteville St post office. http://img.geocaching.com/benchmark/lg/e819190f-c8fe-4f78-b863-555a8ee5a2b3.jpg
No, I have not seen them but thanks for the links. I’ll look out for them next time I’m lurking around those buildings.
[…] can read more about Union Depot and its railroad history on a favorite local blog of ours, The Raleigh […]
[…] you can find them in a variety of places. One Exchange plaza on Fayetteville Street, behind the old Raleigh Union Depot facing Nash Square, and the City Hall block are just a few of them. In May, the city started […]