Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Train Station in Athens OH

Athens B & O Train Depot, Athens Ohio

Date added: February 28, 2024 Categories:

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Athens County began as a traditional Appalachian County, dependent upon coal for much of its economic activity, and on access to transportation routes to stimulate industrial activity. Both the canal and railroad were important factors in this economic development, the railroad emerging as the transportation hub of the City of Athens.

With the destruction of the canal by a flood, the railroad gained importance as an impetus to economic and industrial development in the City of Athens. By 1890, Athens was connected by rail to nearby Marietta and Chillicothe, with connections to Columbus. The Depot was built circa 1890 to accommodate the daily passenger traffic. The Depot is the only train depot still standing in Athens which represents the importance of this mode of transportation in the inflow and outflow of coal and other natural resources, and manufactured goods. The stick-type architecture of the depot remains as the best example of this building style in the city.

Industry and businesses dependent upon the railroad for the transport of raw materials and manufactured goods sprang up in the late 1800's and early 1900's near the Depot. A fur processing company, planing mill, a foundry and machine company, and housing for workers in these industries surrounded the depot. The Depot and its surrounding activities created the need for the Railroad Hotel, which was also built close to the depot.

Building Description

The Athens B & O Train Depot is located next to the railroad tracks on the southwest corner of Depot and Union Streets in the City of Athens, Athens County, in the state of Ohio. The Depot was built circa 1890 as the main passenger train depot serving the City of Athens. Currently, the building is owned by the Chessie Railroad in the Athens area. Situated near the Depot are various other remnants of Athens', past, including such historic properties as the Railroad Hotel, built in 1885, which served railroad workers. The railroad and the location of the Depot stimulated the growth of the mixed residential/commercial/industrial area that now surrounds it.

The structure itself is a one-story rectangular building 128.5 feet long and 25.5 feet deep, built in the stick-style design of that period. The Depot lays parallel to the railroad tracks and contains a total of 3,076 square feet of floor space and foundation area.

The front side is the north side of the building, and the rear side is the south side of the building and faces the railroad tracks. The exterior of the structure is considered to have a gable design roof of multiple pitches, with asphalt shingle covering. There are two gable-roofed dormers on the north roof side and two on the south roof side. The south side also

has seven 2/2 wood-framed windows, two double wooden doors, and one garage-type door. The window and door framing is plain. There are two similar windows on the west side, and one garage-type door on the east side. The exterior of the Depot also has galvanized gutters and downspouts, a stone block foundation, vertical and horizontal tongue and groove wood siding, suspended incandescent lighting at various points on the exterior of the building, and an exposed underhang area.

The interior of the Depot is separated into various areas of usage. This includes the main passenger waiting room, two restrooms with a lounge area, a baggage office that is located east of the waiting room, two offices exclusive of the ticketing room, and an office addition on the extreme east side of the building. It is noted there is also a partial basement that is located beneath the north side. The main passenger waiting room has ceramic tile flooring, two suspended fluorescent light fixtures, ornamental decorative wood ceilings and walls, and steam heat radiators. The ticketing room has a slotted glass window, one door, steam heat radiator, old linoleum over a wood floor, fluorescent light fixtures, conduit wiring, and wood walls and ceiling.

The original Depot was altered circa 1915. A circular gable roof existed in the center of the south side with three similar windows. A door was found on each side of the circular tower section. The east and west ends of the structure were open. Circa 1915 the circular tower section was removed and both ends of the building were enclosed to make the walls flush as they are presently.