Building Description Clinchfield Depot, Erwin Tennessee
The Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Depot in Erwin, Tennessee (population 5301 in 1988) was designed and built in 1925 by the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railroad, commonly known as the Clinchfield Railroad. During the time of construction, Mr. W.C. Hattan was in charge of the Engineering Division which designed this station. The depot is located at the corner of Union Street and Nolichucky Avenue with the front facade facing east towards the central business district. The CC&O Depot is customarily called the Clinchfield Depot by individuals in the community and the CC&O officials.
The depot is a simple cross plan with the two-story lobby waiting room and ticket office forming the short portion of the cross. A secondary waiting room, restrooms and trainsmen's lobby are located in the south wing. The north wing holds the baggage and package express area, office, vault room, and restrooms for the main lobby.
The exterior is covered in red brick laid in a running bond. Thirty thousand face brick of a rough texture and eighty thousand common brick were ordered for the construction. Rough stucco panels are located below the large arched windows on the east and west entrance facades.
The two-story central portion of the structure has a hipped roof which is pierced by hipped roof dormers on both the east and west elevations. Each hipped roof dormer contains a center 6-light window flanked by side lights. The one-story wings also have a hipped roof pierced by triangular dormers with half-circle details. A broad continuous eave, supported by large wooden knee braces, surrounds the one-story sections of the building. The roof was originally covered with Spanish terra cotta tile, however, it has been replaced with dark gray asphalt shingles.
The lobby portion of the east front facade is distinguished by three two-story arches with windows. Rough stucco panels are situated below the two outer arches, with a complex window system above. The bottom portion of the outer two arches are each comprised of three 1-over-1-double hung wooden sash windows, with the center window being the largest. The upper portion is comprised of three sections, the center one being an operable hopper window. The upper and lower sections are separated by three horizontal wooden panels. The center arch contains the entrance in the bottom section. It is a multi-light door with a transom and side lights. The upper section is identical to the other two arches. The entrance is covered by a 16' x 6' marquee detailed with opal and blue stained glass and decorative metal knee braces. The upper portion of the entry facade is detailed with arches containing rough stucco embedded with brick circles containing a numeric detail of the date of completion, 1925. Decorative brickwork also outlines the arches. The north one-story section of the east facade contains a triangular louvered dormer with a half-circle detail, four 1-over-1 double-hung windows and a large cargo door. The south one-story section of the east facade contains a triangular louvered dormer with a half-circle detail, three 1-over-1 double-hung sash windows and a 3' x 7'6" door with nine lights and a transom above. The building contains original exterior lights on all elevations.
The south elevation contains a triangular louvered dormer with a half circle detail and two standard size 1-over-1 double-hung windows flanking two smaller size 1-over-1 double-hung windows. The east side of the south elevation cross extension contains a 1-over-1 double-hung window, while the west side of the cross extension contains 3' x 7'6" door with nine lights and a transom Similar to the southeast front facade.
The west facade or trackside facade is very similar to the east front facade. The center portion has the same arched openings, rough stucco panels, and numeric detail. The door is located in the center arch and is covered by the continuous broad overhanging eave. The south section of the west facade is similar to the front facade with two windows and two doors. The north section of the west facade is the same as the east facade with four windows and a cargo door.
The north elevation contains a triangular louvered dormer with a half-circle detail and two standard-size 1-over-1 double-hung windows. The east and west sides of the cross extension contain a 1-over-1 double-hung window in each.
The interior of the passenger lobby has an 18-foot ceiling height with plastered walls and brick wainscotting. The brick wainscotting is detailed to delineate a baseboard and chair rail at the foot and top of the wainscotting. Window and door surrounds are also composed of brick. The large arch window and door surrounds are 3 bricks in width, while the non-arched windows are just one brick wide. The original three ticket windows and grills with frosted lights are still intact. An original brass counter that joins the 3 windows is still visible today. The ceiling is supported by exposed mahogany beams set at right angles. The passenger lobby contains original light fixtures which are simple white globes suspended by a chain. The passenger restrooms at the north end of the lobby have plaster walls with 6-foot beaded board paneling and simple brick window surrounds.
The secondary waiting room, or the African-American waiting room, restrooms, and the trainsmen's lobby has 10-foot ceilings with simple plaster walls and brick window and door surrounds similar to the passenger area but with no wainscotting.
The baggage and package area has a 10-foot ceiling with simple plaster walls and brick window and door surrounds similar to the passenger area but with no wainscotting. Other extant features of the room are the scales and vault.