Memphis, Paris, and Gulf Depot, Mineral Springs Arkansas

Date added: April 11, 2025

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The Mineral Springs Depot is a simple depot that is associated with one of Arkansas's more ambitious short-line railroads, and which represents the entire railroading history of Mineral Springs, Arkansas.

At the turn of the century, the vast forest lands of southwest Arkansas began attracting large-scale timber industries. For these timber concerns to effectively exploit the lumber supply of the region, an efficient transportation system had to be developed. As a result, several short-line railroad operations sprang into being, often in conjunction with the lumber companies, which would provide the railroads with their main source of income.

In 1906, a charter was granted for the construction of a 25-mile, standard-gauge railroad between Nashville, Arkansas in the north and Ashdown, Arkansas in the south. The name of the line was the Memphis, Paris, Gulf Railroad; a title stemming from ambitious but non-prophetic plans made by the line's investors a year earlier. In the same year, the main patron of the railroad, the Nashville Lumber Company, was incorporated. In Ashdown the M P & G connected with the Kansas City Southern Railroad.

The M P & G opened for rail traffic in 1907, and a year later, passenger freight depots in Nashville, Ashdown and Mineral Springs were constructed on its right-of-way. In addition to serving the lumber company, the line provided mail and passenger service, revived interest and investment in a limestone quarry south of Ashdown and promoted settlement in the communities adjacent to the line. In 1910, the line was expanded to include an eventual 112 miles of track and its name was changed to the Memphis, Dallas and Gulf Railroad. The M D and G was commonly known as the "Mud, Dirt and Gravel" line. However, a drastic decline in stock value of the railroad, which occurred during the First World War, brought about the line's eventual foreclosure in 1922. The line was sold at a public auction in 1922 and the Graysonia, Nashville and Ashdown Railroad was born. Originally, the G N& A operated 61 miles of the old M D & G's track. However, the clearance of the timberland in the area had removed the line's economic base and by 1926 it was operating only over 32 miles of track between Nashville and Ashdown. The G N & A was saved in 1927 when it was purchased by the Ideal Cement Company, which operated a large quarry in the area.

In the early 1960's the line was threatened by U. S. Army Corps of Engineer's plans for Millwood Lake. Twenty miles of track and the Ideal Cement Quarry were doomed by the lake. However, the Corps built a 34-mile levy, which protects both the quarry and the railroad.

The Mineral Springs Depot, built in 1908, was one of the first three depots built by the Memphis, Paris and Gulf Railroad. It was the first and has been the only depot in town. It has served the only rail lines that have operated through Mineral Springs; the M, P & G and its descendants, the M, D & G and the G N & A For years all passenger, mail and freight service in Mineral Springs was provided by its lone railway line. Furthermore, the railroad was a major inducement for settlement in Mineral Springs. However, the emergence of automotive traffic made the town less dependent and eventually independent of its early, single, rapid-transit connection with the outside world. The G N & A depot in Mineral Springs is no longer operational, and the G N & A line has turned the building over to the city, which with assistance of the local Jaycee's, is restoring the depot for use as a museum.

The Mineral Springs Depot is a rectangular, wood frame structure, sided in vertical board and batten on its lower half and weather board above. The roof is gabled, and the foundation is brick. On the east elevation is a projecting bay, which served as the telegrapher's station, and a double-wide loading door. On the west elevation is an entrance, loading platform, and double-wide door. Attic vents are arched frames with louvers. Windows are nine over one lights.