Olive Hill C&O Depot

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The Olive Hill C&O Depot was constructed in 1910 and is currently the only remaining building in Olive Hill associated with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. The Prairie-style structure is notable for its low hip roof and small bay windows, and its role in connecting the city to the C&O, a Class I railroad formed in 1869, was central to the growth of Olive Hill. The construction of the railroad was led by efforts by entrepreneur Collis P. Huntington to bring coal from eastern Kentucky and West Virginia to the coast in Virginia and to Chicago.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Olive Hill C&O Depot was constructed in 1910. The railroad originally came to Olive Hill in 1882 and this building demonstrates the growth of the line and its importance to the community in the early 20th century in terms of passenger service. At its peak, the depot saw seven trains per day. In the fall of 1948, then-presidential candidate Harry Truman stopped at the depot on his whistle stop campaign trail. All passenger traffic ceased at the depot by 1972.

The Olive Hill C&O Depot was nominated for inclusion in the National Register for Historic Places in 1992. In late 1989 to early 1990, the building was renovated for use by the First National Bank. All renovations maintained and repaired the original integrity of the structure, though changes were made to the interior including converting the baggage room to a bank teller area and restrooms. The railroad tracks on the outside of the building have been replaced by bank parking lots.

Currently, the building is located near the trailhead for many existing and planned trails and community members look forward to using the building in ways that serve the community in new ways.

Sources

Helen C. Powell (March 24, 1992). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Olive Hill C&O Depot / CR-OH-5". National Park Service. Retrieved August 31, 2020.

"History of the C&O Railway". Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2020.

Rice-Brother, Janie. The Olive Hill Railroad Depot, Gardens to Gables. July 13th 2018. Accessed August 31st 2020. http://www.gardenstogables.com/the-olive-hill-railroad-depot-carter-county-kentucky/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

http://www.gardenstogables.com/the-olive-hill-railroad-depot-carter-county-kentucky/