Virginian Railway Passenger Station facts for kids
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Virginian Railway Passenger
Station |
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Station in January 2008
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1402 Jefferson St. SE, Roanoke, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1909 |
| Architectural style | Spanish Revival |
| Part of | Roanoke River and Railroad Historic District (ID13000994) |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000456 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 22, 2003 |
| Designated CP | December 24, 2013 |
The Virginian Railway Passenger Station, also called the Virginian Station, is an old train station in Roanoke, Virginia. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
This station served as a place for people to catch trains on the Virginian Railway from 1910 to 1956. It was special because it was the only station built with bricks along the entire 608 608|mi|km length of the Virginian Railway's tracks. Sadly, a fire badly damaged it in 2001.
Contents
History of the Virginian Station
Building the Station
Construction of the Virginian Station began in September 1909 and finished in early 1910. It was built where the New River Division and the Norfolk Division of the Virginian Railway met.
The station is 162 162|ft|m long and 32 32|ft|m wide. It has two one-story buildings connected by a covered roof. The station features a tile roof, light-colored brick walls, and shiny terrazzo floors.
Life as a Passenger Station
The Virginian Railway was smaller than the nearby Norfolk & Western Railway. This station helped people travel between West Virginia and Norfolk. Passenger train service stopped in 1956.
By 1959, the Virginian Railway joined with the Norfolk & Western. The old station was then rented out and used as a store that sold animal feed and seeds.
The Fire and Restoration
In the late 1990s, there was a plan to tear down the station. This was to make space for a new part of the Carilion bio-tech campus. Because of this, the station was put on a list of "Most Endangered Sites" in 2000.
While operating as the Depot Country Store, the station caught fire on January 29, 2001. It was badly damaged. Even with the damage, the station was recognized for its unique design and its importance to Roanoke's railroad history. It was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in April 2003 and the National Register of Historic Places in June 2003.
After the fire, two groups, the Roanoke Chapter NRHS and the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, teamed up. They wanted to restore the Virginian Station. With help from the City of Roanoke and grants, the restoration project began.
The first part of the restoration finished in 2012. This involved removing harmful materials like asbestos and lead. Workers also made the building stable and replaced the tile roof that the fire had destroyed. The new roof tiles came from the same company that made the original ones in 1910.
The second part of the restoration was completed in 2016. This included finishing the inside of the building with new wiring and heating/cooling systems. They also added parking and landscaping. The original paint colors were found from old photos and documents. Window frames and some doors were removed, fixed, and put back in place.
The terrazzo floor was damaged by the fire but was beautifully repaired. The goal was for the station to be useful, not just a museum. So, the larger building is now leased for commercial use. The restored building was officially opened on November 10, 2016.
Members of the chapter also restored and installed the working signal light outside. They also saved a large "Virginian" sign from an old power plant that was torn down years ago.
The station's display area will be open to the public on certain weekends. Currently, the main building is rented by a catering company.
