Gulf Terminal Building Train Station Mobile AL

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The Gulf Terminal Building was constructed shortly after the turn-of-the-century and is one of only two large scale railroad stations in the state. Completed in 1907 at a cost of $400,000, the massive and ornate building reflects the importance of railroads and the City of Mobile in this era. The Neo-Spanish Colonial Building is one of the earlier and finer examples of the style in the city and was designed by P. Thornton Marye.

The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was one of the most important transportation ventures in ante-bellum Alabama. The road, charted by the Alabama legislature in 1848 was an ambitious project to connect Mobile with the Mississippi River at Memphis and with the railroads of the Midwest and the Great Lakes at Chicago. Mobilians hoped to divert much of the Mississippi trade from New Orleans to their port city. The road was one of the first two roads in the U. S. to receive a land grant from the Federal government, a precedent which had a great impact on the latter half of the 19^th Century. William Rufus King of Alabama and Stephen Douglas of Illinois joined forces in the U. S. Senate to obtain the grants for the building of the Mobile and Ohio and the Illinois central.

In the late 19^th Century the majority of the stock of the M & O was acquired by Southern Railroad and the present structure was a joint project of the two companies. The architect, P. Thornton Marye, was the head of a large Atlanta based firm which designed the Atlanta Terminal (now demolished) as well as numerous public buildings throughout the south.

In 1940 the M & O merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Northern and became the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio. Later the company was acquired by the Illinois Central. Since passenger service was discontinued in 1958, the structure housed offices and a computer system for the railroad.

Building Description

The Gulf Terminal Building is a large L-shaped structure of beige colored brick constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The massiveness of the building is balanced by an airy feeling of the arcade and numerous windows and by the delicacy of the sculptural details punctuating the masonry surface.

The main block of the structure is rectangular and has a dome at its center. An arcaded passageway projects on the south side (front) of the building and extends across the full length of that side. The west rear wing is also rectangular and is connected to the main block by a two-arch gateway on the first story level with enclosed office space above. A recent rectangular addition on the rear fits within the angle of the original building, giving the structure a modified L-shape. The roof is hipped and covered with red mission tile.

The South (main facade) consists of three stories and is symmetrically arranged. It is divided into five main sections or bays; a central section, intermediate sections to either side, and end or corner sections.

The corner sections have raised, stepped and curved parapets. Third story corner windows are enframed by sculptural elements with baroque columns to either side and an entablature above.

Intermediate wall sections have plain walls and windows. While the central section of the facade is greatly emphasized by its raised height and sculptural elaboration.

This section is itself divided into five bays. The end bays are plain except for stepped and curved parapets leading into the more emphasized central bays. The three centermost bays are divided by vertical elements consisting of panels, scrolls, garland swags and other sculptural elements, and are topped by pinnacles. Windows in these sections are surrounded by rich baroque sculptural elements, including architectural, plant, animal and human forms. Cartouches are set in some wall sections which would otherwise be plain. The centermost bay is topped by an arched "balustrade" infilled with masonry.

The octagonal dome is centered behind the central section of the main facade and serves as a crown to it. The drum is divided by engaged piers above which is an entablature topped by pinnacles. The dome is surmounted by a lantern with louvered arched openings around the sides.

The arcade across the front of the building consists of sixteen arches, plus an arch at either end at right angles and joining the buildings. The parapet above the arcade. is stepped and curved repeating the theme of the parapets at the corner roofline.

The central section of this parapet is raised higher to coincide with the central sections of the building and to allow room for the name. Six gargoyles along the arcade serve as rain spouts and seven buttress-like engaged piers divide the centermost arches. Other arches are separated by simple piers. A broken string course runs along the arcade at the line of impost of the arches. Keystones and voussoirs of the arches are emphasized by slightly projecting brickwork. A series of doorways open into the building from the arcade and windows are located between doors.

The western wing also consists of three stories, but has plain masonry walls and windows. Raised stepped and curved parapets are at the corners.

Originally the interior contained a large waiting room area in the main block under the central dome, but this area is now divided by partitions into numerous office and storage areas. The central section of the third floor is raised several steps above the rest of the floor in order to conform with the exterior appearance.

Little of the original interior detailing is left. Some of the walls still have the original marble dado on the lower third topped by carved marble molding, plain plaster above and an architrave molding about three quarters of the way up.

Looking North at front west side of building (1973)