Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum facts for kids
The Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum is a special place in Palmerston, Ontario. It's the only original train station still standing in Wellington County, Ontario. This museum helps us learn about the history of trains and how important they were to the area. You can find it at 166 William Street in Palmerston.
Contents
The Station's Early Days
The Palmerston Railway Station played a big part in how the town of Palmerston grew. The very first station was built in 1871. The Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway built it in what was then Wallace Township. This was where a new train line split off from the main line that went between Guelph and Harriston.
This first station was a simple, one-story building. The town of Palmerston slowly grew up around it. By 1876, more and more trains were using the station. Because of this, railway officials added a second story to the building. The top floor was used for offices. This meant the ground floor could be used only for people waiting for trains and for storing luggage.
Changes with Grand Trunk Railway
In 1900, the Grand Trunk Railway took over the station. They made more changes to help compete with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Palmerston Station got some big upgrades. A new section was added to the front of the station. They also created a storage attic that people could walk into.
A tower was built above the ladies' washroom. This tower did not seem to have an entrance. Sadly, this tower was destroyed by a fire in 1912.
The Canadian National Railway Era
After the Canadian National Railway (CNR) took over the Grand Trunk Railway, the station changed again. During the Great Depression, the CNR put in a drop ceiling in the main waiting room. This helped them save money on heating costs. In 1936, the station was painted in the CNR's colors.
By the early 1950s, the station's original wood siding was covered up. It was hidden by a material called insulbrick, which was then painted red. By 1959, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel locomotives. This meant that the old train structures were no longer needed. The roundhouse, turntable, and coal sheds were all removed.
When the Station Closed
The last passenger train left the Palmerston station in 1970. Many other stations were being closed or torn down around this time. However, the Palmerston station stayed open as a busy freight center. It continued to operate until the mid-1980s.
In 1982, the CNR officially closed the station. They asked for permission to stop using the rail line through Palmerston. The station remained empty until 1996. That year, the train tracks from Harriston to Stratford were removed.
Bringing the Station Back to Life
On June 3, 1996, the Town of Palmerston offered to buy the railway property from the CNR. Later that year, local volunteers started working to restore the station. They began raising money to fix the leaky roof. By 1998, the Town of Palmerston bought the entire 26-acre yard from the CNR. They created a special group called the CN Property Task Force. This group was in charge of developing the property and fixing up the station.
With the help of volunteers and the Palmerston Lions Club, major renovations began. These efforts led to the station's current look. It was restored to how it appeared in 1900, during the Grand Trunk era. The insulbrick was removed, and the original wood siding was replaced. The drop ceiling was taken out, and the original wood ceiling was carefully restored.
The Agent's Office was stripped down to show its original tin ceiling. The Conductor's Room was turned into a kitchen by the Lions Club.
In 2024, the museum volunteers announced plans to restore a 1947 caboose. This caboose had been given to the museum several years before. The Caboose Restoration Project began in the spring of 2024. The goal was to finish the restoration in time for Palmerston's 150th anniversary in 2025. The project received $11,388 from the Rural Economic Development (RED) program. It also got $4,500 from the Minto mayor's yearly charity golf tournament. The restoration was completed for the anniversary.
Images for kids
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Panoramic view of the Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum.
