HISTORIC OCONEE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA Subject: Westminster Depot Version 1.0, 5-Jan-2003, FCH-13.txt **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula - nn8nn Seneca, SC, USA Oconee County SC GenWeb Coordinator Oconee County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/oconee.html Oconee County SC GenWeb Tombstone Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/cemeteries.html http://www.usgwtombstones.org/southcarolina/oconee.html Contributor: Frederick C. Holder, Box 444, Pickens, SC 29671 **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Jan-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Jan-2003 HISTORY WRITE-UP : Frederick C. Holder in 1989 WESTMINSTER DEPOT - Built about 1916 The Westminster Depot illustrates the growth of Westminster during the early twentieth century. Westminster was incorporated in 1875, soon after the Air Line Railroad Company laid its tracks through upper South Carolina. The first depot, constructed at the expense of Albert Zimmerman in 1874, stood near the tracks and across from the James R. Burns home located on the corner of North Spring and Railroad Street (now North Avenue). A freight and baggage station was built around 1875-76 between the end of Depot Street and the railroad tracks to serve the growing traffic connected with the Westminster area. Westminster grew rapidly from the 1890s through the 1920s. To accommodate the substantially increased passenger business, the Southern Railroad Company constructed a passenger and baggage depot sometime between 1911 and 1918. Before the new passenger depot was opened for full time use, ticketed passengers had to wait on the platform before boarding a train or stand huddled next to the old baggage station, even in the worst weather. When James A. King came to Westminster in 1918 as Station Agent, the buildings connected with the railroad were a very important part of the town. The Station Agent was in charge of getting the freight loaded, notifying persons or companies of freight received, and sell- ing tickets to passengers. He also provided information about rates and schedules. Perhaps his most important job was operating the telegraph and the Western Union office. (People wanting to send messages or money to other places often used Western Union.) The mail was not handled by the Station Agent. A special agent, often a postal clerk in small towns, was responsible for making sure that the area mail was loaded onto the train and for picking up the in- coming mail. In the early 1900s, the train from Greenville called the "Short Dog" had an unusual way of reaching the Depot and baggage station. When the train had almost reached Westminster, it pulled off the main track and down a side track. The side track might be thought of as the top right hand part of a Y. When the train got to the bottom, or stem, of the Y, it then backed up to the main track by going along the top left hand part of the Y. After backing into the station and picking up passengers and the mail, the train returned to Greenville. Part of this old railroad bed can still be found near the tracks on the eastern side of Westminster. The depot was threatened with demolition after passenger service was discontinued about 1969, but local citizens were able to save this important part of Westminster's history. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Location: Main Street, Westminster, S.C. Part of the building is open to the public. READING LIST: Sallie King Harbin, "Historical Sketches of Westminster, S.C." (scheduled for publication in 1992). George H. Chapman, Health Resorts of the South (Boston, 1891); 147-159. 38