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Recreation
Meet Me at the Depot
An old typewriter is part of a historical display at the old C&O Depot.John L. Brown knows a thing or two about trains. He earned that knowledge over four decades of working for railroad companies in a variety of capacities.
Brown still spends time at the depot, but no longer in service to the railroads. Instead, this depot welcomes school kids and visitors to the Fairfield County Fair.
It was 1966 when Brown first heard that the old Carroll Railroad Depot was being relocated to the fairgrounds in Lancaster. He took an interest because he once worked in that same building.
“When I saw them doing this, I went to the fair board and said, ‘I think you should make it look like an old railroad depot – as it was,’ ” Brown recalls.
“I said, ‘I worked for a railroad company, and I think they will work with us.’ ”
His proposal helped kick off renovation of the 1871 depot, which now is “one of the best-equipped depots in the country,” Brown says.
Visitors can get a taste of what rail passengers experienced at train stations around the turn of the 20th century.
“You can go get a ticket, send a telegram. It’s ready for business,” Brown says.
The depot at the fairgrounds is on permanent display with many other historic structures from the region, including an old schoolhouse, log cabin, doctor’s office, general store and more.
Brown has continued to serve as a volunteer at the restored depot, and he says he has seen a lot of excited faces come through the door.
“When it first opened, everybody passing through had memories of railroads,” he says wistfully. “We’ve done almost a flip-flop. Only 20 percent now have any memories of it at all. Pretty soon it’s going to be history to all of them. That’s why it’s important. It’s there for the younger people to see how things once were in their old county.”
Story by Catherine Darnell
Photo by Brian McCord
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