Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Passenger Terminal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Passenger Terminal
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The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Passenger Terminal in 2008.
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mobile, Alabama |
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| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Marye, P. Thornton |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000323 |
| Added to NRHP | August 15, 1975 |
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Passenger Terminal is a historic train station located in Mobile, Alabama, United States. It was designed by architect P. Thornton Marye in a unique style called Mission Revival architecture. This style makes buildings look like old Spanish missions with features like stucco walls and red tile roofs. The terminal was completed in 1907 and was a very important building for train travel in the area.
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A Hub for Train Travel
This station was built for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. It cost about $575,000 to build, which was a huge amount of money at the time. In 1940, the Mobile and Ohio Railroad joined with another company to form the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. This new company continued to use the terminal.
Popular Train Routes
For many years, the terminal was a busy place with trains coming and going. Some of the major trains that used this station included:
- Gulf, Mobile & Ohio:
- Gulf Coast Rebel: This train traveled between St. Louis, Missouri and Mobile.
- Southern Railway:
- Goldenrod: This train connected Birmingham, Alabama with Mobile.
These trains helped people travel for work, family visits, and vacations.
The End of Passenger Service
The last passenger trains from the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, called the Gulf Coast Rebels, stopped running on October 14, 1958. After this, the terminal no longer served regular passengers. Other train services in Mobile used a different station nearby.
A New Purpose for the Building
Even though passenger trains stopped, the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Terminal continued to be used. It became offices for the railroad company. On August 15, 1975, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical sites in the United States. By this time, the building had started to show signs of age and neglect.
Bringing the Terminal Back to Life
In 1986, the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad moved out of the old terminal. For about 15 years, the building was left empty and began to fall apart. This is sometimes called "demolition-by-neglect." In 1996, it was even named one of Alabama's "Places in Peril."
However, in 2001, the City of Mobile and a private company decided to save the landmark. They invested over $18 million to restore the building. This huge effort helped bring the terminal back to its former glory.
Today, the building is used for private offices and also houses the city's public transportation system, The Wave Transit System. Sadly, the renovated building was badly damaged by flooding during Hurricane Katrina. Despite this, it remains an important part of Mobile's history and architecture.
