1870 Historical Railroad Depot: Arrington Virginia


    



This depot has been sold. Thank you for your interest.

Built in 1870, the Arrington Railroad Depot was once the center of trade in a rapidly growing area of Virginia. Constructed totally out of heart pine, the building is in very good condition, well-preserved because of its large overhangs. Its post and beam construction, tied together with pegs and mortise and tenon joints, is a construction style rarely seen today.

In 1857, the Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company began acquiring property in central Virginia, and the area's first depot was built in 1860. During the Civil War, when railroad lines were essential in supplying the troops, the Union Army destroyed tracks and burned depots across Virginia, including the original station in Arrington. But by 1870, this train station had been constructed. For decades, it was the hub of local trade, in what was once the busiest town in Nelson County. Local farm products were transported around the state by rail, and stone from one of the world's largest soapstone quarries was shipped all over the world.

At the time the depot was built, Arrington was the highest station above sea level on the Southern Railway system; thus in early records it is referred to as Arrington Summit. In 1915, the track line was lowered by a cut in the hill, and dual tracked. A new depot was constructed, and the old depot was removed from service. From that point on, numerous renovations changed the face of this structure as the function of the building evolved. Unfortunately, these many changes over the years meant that much of the original interior material was abandoned in favor of newer materials. For many years, the depot was used by local businesses, including a barbershop. From 1961 to 1982, it served as the Arrington Post Office. From then on, it was privately owned.

In 2004, the property was auctioned, and the new owners made plans to destroy the station and turn the wood into "reclaimed" flooring. We immediately offered to purchase the station from the new owner, to prevent its destruction. Unable to purchase the land on which it sits, we disassembled the building piece by piece, labeled every item, and placed it carefully in storage.

Before disassembly, we hired an architect to create a CAD drawing of the building, to scale, with sections, elevations and floor plans. These plans were used to record the numbering system for each component of the building. We thoroughly evaluated the structure to determine which parts were worth saving, then began the careful disassembly of the structure.

The roofing sheathing had a great deal of damage due to water damage. Due to a three-percent asbestos content in the silver paint on the few remaining original stamped tin roof shingles, they were not salvaged.The original interior walls were 1" x 6" beaded tongue and groove pine. Most everything had been ripped out and replaced with sheet rock.There were only a few feet of salvageable original material, including one window which was still trimmed. (photo left)






The original ticket window

We were happy to find that the building was in excellent condition, despite its age. Its large overhangs and tight roof construction protected it from water damage. The bottom plate on the rear end of the building, which has no overhangs, requires some repair work because of its exposure to the elements. The original dimensions of the building were 20' x 54', but it was extended to 60' at some point.

Every piece of the structure was labeled with a copper tag keyed to the architectural drawings. A digital picture was taken showing the location and condition of each piece. Every nail was carefully removed to prevent damage to the wood, and many of them were saved, due to their unique cut and hand-fabricated style.

All materials, after being cleared of any fasteners and obstructions, labeled and photographed, were stacked with spacers to prevent rot and warping in a large, dry box trailer and photographed again to show order of removal. Great care was taken before and after storage to keep everything dry and clean. All materials fit in an 8' x 96" x 42' box trailer that is very secure and dry, and should preserve materials for many years.

This historic railroad depot is being offered for sale privately. All CAD drawings and digital photos are included in the sale. Further details and photos are available upon request. Please contact us with any questions.

email: jamikrieger@yahoo.com