Blackshear Depot, Blackshear Georgia

The depot was constructed in 1917 by the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad Company and incorporated the earlier wood depot into the design for freight use. The railroad also provided the means for a successful agricultural-based economy by transporting cotton, timber, and other crops to areas outside of southeast Georgia. Passenger service continued until the 1950s and the depot was used for freight until the 1970s.

The area that was to become Pierce County with the county seat of Blackshear was part of the land ceded to the government by the Creek Indians in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1813. This land was given away in the Land Lottery of 1820 after being divided into 490-acre plots. Because of its isolation, many people who were lucky recipients of land in this area never journeyed to the region to possess their claims.

The founding of Pierce County and the town of Blackshear was the direct result of the railroad industry. In 1847, the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad proposed a line of tracks running from Savannah to Thomasville, passing through what would become Pierce County and Blackshear. On May 1^st, 1859, the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad had reached the unincorporated town of Blackshear. Incorporation followed on December 16^th, 1859. Because of the railroad, people had moved into what was to become Blackshear in anticipation of the advantages connected to transportation. Stores were being built by owners anxious to take hold of this opportunity to transport their merchandise to other places. By 1876, there were twelve businesses, a steam grist mill, a cotton gin, a turpentine distillery, and a large sawmill. These businesses flourished because of accessible transportation.

The growth of the timber industry led to large areas of cleared land for farming. Agriculture became another major means of livelihood for the residents of the area. As farming increased, so did the need for transportation for agricultural commodities. Cotton became the leading crop for many years and it was shipped out via railroad. Testifying to the cooperation of the railroad and business owners, a spur line was built to the Brantley Company warehouse where cotton was loaded directly onto the trains.

Not only did the trains carry timber and commodities, but they also carried people. It was noted that on July 4^th, 1859, the train gave the citizens of Blackshear a free ride to Yankeetown, later known as Waycross, a distance of about ten miles. These trains ran in both directions so many people came to visit and to live in Blackshear as well.

The railroad suffered during the Civil War. The cotton failure of 1871 followed by the financial panic of 1873 forced the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad into receivership. On November 4^th, 1879, Henry B. Plant bought the railroad and renamed it the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad Company. On July 1^st, 1902, it merged with Atlantic Coast Line which later became Seaboard Coast Line.

The first depot, built of wood, caught fire between the late 1800s and 1917. Reference was made to this situation in an article about the "great train wreck" of 1888 when the bodies of the dead were carried to the old wooden depot "which later burned". The present structure was mentioned in a newspaper article dated April 29^th, 1916, which stated, "Blackshear has been assured of a new brick depot. Representatives from the railroad and the city council have reached an agreement on plans to construct a $6,000 building at ground level and use the old depot as a freight station." The new depot was built in 1917 by the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway Company who had received a deed to the property in March 1889.

Many people who grew up in Blackshear have fond memories of the activities at the depot. The original scales used to weigh freight remain in place in the warehouse section. Sharecroppers as well as farm owners would bring their produce and watch it being weighed before shipment. People could watch the mail pick-up as the trains came by and retrieved the mail waiting on a hook. Citizens who lived along the railroad tracks remember the steam engines the most--the sound, the smoke, and the smell. A hotel and boarding house were right by the tracks waiting for weary travelers or railroad men who needed a place to stay. Sometimes, families would arrive in Blackshear, bringing all of their possessions with them on the train.

The role of the depot to the town of Blackshear has adapted from being a passenger and freight station to a freight station only to becoming the headquarters for the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. Passenger service ended in the late 1950s. Freight service was continued until the mid 1970s when the depot was vacated. The City of Blackshear purchased the property from Seaboard Coast Line in 1978, then sold it to the Pierce County Industrial Development Authority.

Building Description

The Blackshear Depot is located one block south of the central business district and adjacent to the city hall and city park in Blackshear, the county seat of Pierce County. The Blackshear Depot is a one-story, brick building with the typical Georgia small-town-depot long, narrow form. Constructed in 1917, it has a long rectangular form with a wide-eaved hipped roof with triangular roof brackets over the main section and a gabled-end roof over the long, freight portion of the building. The center portion of the building projects out on the track side and has a brick parapet. Other exterior features include brick chimneys, two-colored brick laid in the Flemish bond, 6/6 windows, wood window and door surrounds, and 4-light wood paneled doors with 6-light transoms. The freight portion of the depot is elevated and surrounded on three sides by a wooden platform for loading and unloading.

The 6,300 square feet of the depot is divided into three main areas: passenger waiting rooms, offices, and the freight room. During 1978 to 1979, the waiting rooms were altered for office space with wall and floor coverings and dropped ceilings. The freight/warehouse area is a large open space with wood plank flooring and walls, exposed rafters, and scales which were used to weigh outgoing and incoming freight. It is used for storage and remains unaltered.

There is no landscaping associated with the building.