From 1910 to 1912 the Depot in Dungannon was in a boxcar, open at both ends and located on a side track. Mr. W.F.C. Blackwell was the agent.

The present Depot was built by hand beginning in 1910 and completed in 1912 with Jack White as carpenter foremen . It had two large waiting rooms taht was marked "colored" and white", with beautiful oak seats around the walls with wrought iron dividers. There was an express or freight room, and office, and supply room.

In the earlier days it was the gathering place and activity center for the community. Just to watch the train come in and leave out, and bring the daily mail, put off freight including cook stoves, fruit trees, plants, live chickens and dogs was a great thrill for a large crowd each day. It was a special thrill to hear the conductor call out "ALL-ABOARD", the sound ringing out and echoing to the hills, and and at night see him wave his lantern.

The Dungannon Depot was one of the few remaining along the track of the Clinchfield Railroad line which runs from Spartansburg, S.C. to Elkhorn City, K.Y.

The agents names were first Mr. W.F.C. Blackwell followed by Ben Hale in 1913, then Claude McClure, Frank Whitlock, P.C. Gibson, Clyde Letterman, W.R. Hefner, Frank Renfro (part-time) and the last one was W.H. Moyer.

The last regular passenger train to run was May 2, 1955. Since then a spail "Santa Clause" train runs just after Thanksgiving.

For the next twenty years it sat there waiting until the Dungannon Women's Club was formed in the fall of 1976 for the broad purpose of community improvement and was incorporated on March 15, 1977. One of the greatest needs at the beginning was to have a center big enough for any and all activities that might be of interest to the town and surrounding areas. The Depot was suggested as a possibility, but then everyone said that it couldn't be done. But, it could and the women did get the CC&O Railroad to give them the building, but with the restriction that it had to be moved in a period of one year. Again, the club was told that if couldn't be done -- but it could, and they did. They raised the needed money, got the town to provide the space and before the year was up, on June 2, 1978, to be exact the Depot was moved. After the Depot was completely renovated, the new community center was dedicated in April of 1980.

The primary goal now of the Women's Club is the maintenance of the Depot so that if can continue to be a center for the community to use as a place for parties, reunions, and other functions. If you would like to inquire about the possibilities of renting the Dungannon Depot or on becoming a member of the women's club contact the Dungannon Development Commission, Inc. for more information.

A Project of
Dungannon Development
Commission, Inc.

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