Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Built in 1937, the former Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station is a historic train depot that is now available to rent as a community gathering place. It played an important role in the city's emergence as a tourist destination and is also significant for its design, which combines elements of the Mission, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival styles. Next to the building are two restored train cars, a boxcar and a caboose, both of which are also available to rent.

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The historic Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station was built in 1937 and operated as a vital transportation hub for three decades.

Backstory and Context

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The station was built by the Atlantic Coastline Railroad (ACR) and the Myrtle Beach Farms Company. The company was established in 1912 and led the way in developing the community into a tourist destination. It partnered with the ACR to build the depot in 1936 and the station was completed in 1937, the year before Myrtle Beach was established. The station was a vital hub for the city, serving as a transporting hub for both passengers and freight for the next three decades. However, regular passenger service lasted until 1955. The station finally closed in 1967 and the ACR sold it to a beverage company.

In 1999, the owner of the building put the property on the market and had plans to demolish it. The community rallied to save it, however, and the city bought the old station and property. After a few years of restoration work, the station opened in 2004 as an event venue. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. The boxcar and caboose arrived in 2018 and were restored.

Sources

Foley, Courtney. "Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. July 22, 2002. http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/horry/S10817726015/S10817726015.pdf.

Goss, Blake. "Historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot." City of Myrtle Beach. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/i_want_to/find/myrtle_beach_train_depot.php.

Strong, Hannah. "How additions to the Myrtle Beach Train Depot will preserve history, provide utility." Myrtle Beach Online. December 27, 2018. https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/article223621470.html.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Myrtle_Beach_Atlantic_Coast_Line_Railroad_Station_Jun_10.JPG