Boones Mill N&W Railway Depot
"I think I can.....I think I can.....I think I can....."
The Little Engine That Could
The Boones Mill N&W Railway Depot serves as a living museum telling the history of the railroad in Boones Mill, Virginia. The Depot will be used in the future as a museum, a community meeting place, a centerpiece for various town and regional festivals, and a music venue. The Depot is currently being restored to match its appearance on its last day of service in 1960.
The Depot was relocated from its original location along the Norfolk Southern railway line in Boones Mill to save it from demolition by the railroad. A video of the move is available to the right.
A Depot Committee was formed in 2014 and began raising funds to renovate the structure in its new location near the Town Hall. The Town received a federal transportation grant in 2016, which funded the initial engineering, planning, and construction of the stormwater management improvements and stabilization of the entire structure. This work is now complete.
The Depot Committee has made great strides on the project, outpacing the Town's formal project plan. Volunteers have repainted the Depot, protecting it and enhancing its curb appeal. A local Eagle Scout led the painting work as part of his capstone service project. A local contractor donated labor for key carpentry and masonry stabilization tasks. At the same time, volunteers were busy locating and collecting display items. The estate of a former N&W station master donated the original safe and desk from the Boones Mill Depot, and volunteers moved them into the building. The Franklin County Historical Society donated an old Norfolk and Western caboose to the Depot Committee. Volunteers plan to restore the caboose once the Depot renovation is complete.
Time-lapse video of the Historic Railway Depot move on July 24, 2014,
courtesy of Mike Smith.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources awarded the Depot a spot on the State Historic Register. The building is also on the National Register.
Local media coverage has highlighted the progress with newspaper and television stories. Franklin County and Boones Mill are part of the State's Rail Heritage Region. An increased level of public awareness about the project's progress, and feedback has been uniformly positive.
Deck Plan/Construction Progress
The Depot Committee continues to work on the construction of a new deck to resemble the old loading platform, which surrounded the Depot on three (3) sides. The County Building Inspections Division has approved the deck plan (shown in the video to the right).
Support the Depot Project
The Depot Committee is always seeking donations to help cover the cost of constructing the deck, as well as additional materials needed for the project. Financial donations may be made to the Boones Mill Depot Committee Restoration Fund. For additional information, please contact Mike Smith, Chair of the Depot Committee, at depot@townofboonesmill.org. Thanks for your help in restoring an essential piece of the Town's history!
Thank you for your support!
Awards/In the News
The Town of Boones Mill and the Depot Restoration Committee successfully relocated, restored, and reopened the Boones Mill Railway Depot. The depot was built in 1892, served until 1970, was threatened with demolition in 2013, relocated in 2014, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, stabilized in 2018, and just celebrated its grand re-opening in 2024. The railroad station was erected in 1892 and was soon thereafter purchased by the Norfolk & Western Railway. A well-known local landmark, the depot served as a central transportation hub of the Town of Boones Mill and the surrounding Franklin County. Architecturally, the Boones Mill Depot is a well-preserved example of the Railroad Style favored by southern railroad companies during the period. After 73 years in use, it closed to passenger service in 1965, and freight service in 1970, and became property of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (NSR). After years of neglect, in 2013, it was threatened with demolition. NSR offered the depot to the Town of Boones Mill on the condition that the town relocate it. Under the town's leadership, a group of dedicated volunteers relocated the depot, restored it, and reopened it. The interior features a small museum in the passenger area and a meeting/event space in the freight area.
