Former L&N Railroad Train Station FL
Louisville and Nashville Depot, Milton Florida
The L & N Depot in Milton, Florida (Santa Rosa County), is typical of the combination freight and passenger stations that were constructed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad to serve small communities. It is typical of stations that provided an important communication and economic link with the rest of the region.
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad purchased the site of the depot in 1891 from the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad Company. The depot, the community's second, was constructed in 1909. The depot's plan follows the Standard L & N Engineer's Office outline for a "Special Combination Station", with little deviation from the suggested appearance. The cost for a station like this was $3800-4200, without platforms. The last regular passenger train stopped at the station on April 30th, 1971, when Amtrak took over the nation's passenger systems, thus eliminating the Gulf Wind route between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jacksonville, Florida. The Freight Agency and Train Order Office was closed on June 30th, 1973. In 1975, the Santa Rosa Historical Society purchased the deteriorating building from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company and began restoration work.
The railroad served as an important economic and social link between Milton and other cities, including Pensacola. Visiting dignitaries, such as Governor Park Trammel in 1916, usually arrived at the depot and held public gatherings. The freight station also served as a central receiving and shipping point for Milton's shops, industries, and individual citizens. Western Union Telegraph Company and Railway Express Agency offices were also located at the depot.
Building Description
The Louisville and Nashville Depot, Milton, Florida, looks today very much as it did when it was completed in 1909. The building follows the standard plans drawn by the L & N Engineering Office for a combination depot. The 1909 building contained a general waiting room, african-american waiting room, agent's office, baggage room, and freight room. Approximate measurements are: freight room, 26' x 75'; baggage room, 26' x 15'; waiting room areas (at widest points in cruciform) 27' x 20'.
The building is wood frame construction with a wood clapboard exterior finish. The main depot roof is tiled; the freight room has a composition shingle roof. When the members of the Historical Society repaired the roof in the 1970s, they added steel roof supports. When repainting the structure, the Society duplicated the original paint scheme: steel blue/gray for the base area of vertical siding, olive green for the horizontal siding, and white trim.
The depot has undergone only relatively minor alterations. A train shed, covering the train platform from the front of the depot to the trackside, was added shortly after the depot was constructed. It was removed in 1970. Other minor modifications have been made to the passenger portion of the depot. The railroad added restrooms to the building, and changed the location of the ticket counter to provide more space for the agent's office. The southeast corner of the depot was extended a like amount to keep from reducing the size of the main waiting room. Otherwise, the interior of the building remains intact. All interior walls and ceilings are beaded tongue and groove pine siding, painted white, gray, and beige in the agent's office; and white, gray, and olive green in the waiting rooms. These are the original color combinations.
Northwest Elevation (1980)
Southwest Elevation (1980)
