stations

PHOTOGRAPHS
OF
SC RAILROAD STATIONS
AND
OTHER PHOTOS OF INTEREST

Stations
Cars
Trains
Cabooses
Railroad Towers
RR Safety Posters
Charleston after the Storm of 1911
Railroad Gazette 1874

Many of these photographs were found in the Charleston Chapter Archives and they are being added to periodically. We are hopeful that we will be able to add other stations as they are shared with us. Since many of these stations have been demolished, these photos are the only known pictorial representations of their existence. Many of the photographs came from Frank Moore's collection. We respect his ownership of these photographs, as shown by the inclusion of his copywrite. Any updated information about these stations would be appreciated through our e-mail bfoc1830@yahoo.com or 133 Sampa Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.

Abbeville.Aiken.Alcolu.Ashepoo.Babcock.Charleston.(Tower Depot.Union Station.Union Station Back Entrance.Conway.
Calhoun Falls.Demorest.Elloree.Fairfax.Harvin.Hayne.Jahnz.Ladson.Landrum..
McCormick.Mullins.Orangeburg.Pelion.Port Royal.Radium.Ravenel.Ridgeville.Spartanburg.Stono.Ulmer.Union.Walterboro.Yemassee

(Photos are from Charleston Chapter Archives, unless otherwise noted)
. . . click on photo to enlarge . . .

ABBEVILLE SC

As a CSX locomotive pulls into the station, a lone worker walks beside the track. Business was certainly not brisk on the day this photo was taken.

AIKEN, SC

The Aiken Station is very picturesque and well preserved.

ALCOLU, SC

The ACL Station as it was in 1920 and still is at Alcolu, SC. (courtesy of Mike West)

ASHEPOO, SC

The Ashepoo station pictured here, on close inspection, shows signs for "White" and "Colored" over the two doors on the side of the building.

The second photo may be dated before the year of the parked car shown in the photo. The man in the lower left seemed to be looking right at the camera. The photographer must have taken the shot from an elevated position, just right for spying on the two men outside the station. The men seem to be studying something that one of them is holding.

BABCOCK, SC

Information about the Babcock Depot is needed.

CALHOUN FALLS, SC

Chapter member, Tommy Burkhalter, happened upon the Calhoun Falls Station as it was being moved in 2005.

JAHNZ STATION CHARLESTON, SC The worker gathered Irish potatoes in barrels. The potatoes were put through a grading machine (shown in background), then bagged and put in the rail cars for shipment to NY either by rail or on Clyde Mallory Line Steamships. The photos below are of the potato fields. (courtesy B. Kennerty)

RADIUM STATION
CHARLESTON, SC

Across the cabbage fields is Radium Station. The gentleman in the dark suite is W. C. Kennerty, father of Chapter member, Bill Kennerty. Bill recalls his father putting him on the train at Radium Station for a ride to Jahnz Station where his father would pick him up for the trip back home. (courtesy of B. Kennerty)

TOWER DEPOT
CHARLESTON, SC

A wonderful snapshot found in the Captain's trove of pictures and goodies...it is one of those small pictures like you use to find in your parents' collection of pictures that you never see anymore. The date of the picture would be interesting...maybe judge from the year of the car parked in front of the building.

UNION STATION
CHARLESTON, SC

Built in 1907, situated at the corner of Columbus and East Bay Streets, serving Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line and Southern Railways, Union Station caught fire at 11:35 a.m. on January 11, 1947 and was completely destroyed.

UNION STATION

CHARLESTON, SC

BACK ENTRANCE

Back entrance of Union Station after Storm of 1911.

(Captain Le Cato Collection)

CONWAY,SC

Red Hill Station in Conway, SC is a former WCL Station. It is now used as a trucking company office. It has a very unique chrome decorated stove. Photo was taken in September 2004.
(courtesy of Pete Stabovitz)

DEMOREST, SC

When this picture was taken of the Demorest Station, it was in bad need of repair.

ELLOREE, SC

Thanks to Steve Poe for furnishing this photograph of the station in Elloree. The beautiful blue sky certainly lends a nice setting for the little blue station. According to the sign below, the station is now used by the Orangeburg School District.

FAIRFAX,SC

HARVIN, SC

The old Atlantic Coast Line Station from Harvin (east of Manning)
is now a two family dwelling in Alcolu, SC.

HAYNE, SC

This photograph was taken on May 27, 1967.

STONO STATION
JOHNS ISLAND, SC

This photograph of the Stono Station is very rare. The station was located on Johns Island until the early 1970's at the SAL crossing where Belvidere Road veers off to the northwest, approximately a mile north of Humbert Road. The family of the station agent, Frank Howard, still live a short distance from where the station stood. The telephone that was installed in the stations agent's office was the first telephone on Johns Island. One incident the family recalls during the time of WWII is the movement of military supplies and troops over the SAL tracks following a telephone order to Mr. Howard to allow those cars to go through without any delay. (courtesy of F. Moore)

LADSON, SC

This picturesque depot was dismantled in 1935. It was built in a gingerbread style which could be found in many locations because the station plans were made available as kits in the manner of the Sears and Roebuck kit houses like the one which former President Richard Nixon was speculated to have lived in after his father built their 900 sq. ft. bungalow on the family's citrus ranch in Lorba Linda, CA in 1912. Further investigation has revealed that no one has been able to find matching plans for the Nixon house in any of the Modern Homes Catalogues offered by Sears.

The South Carolina Railway built the Ladson station and its freight shed with the ornate trimmings in 1880. It was originally constructed in Summerville, SC and then moved to Ladson on flatcars.

After a drive through the Ladson area looking for the site of this depot, a local resident suggested we call the postal deliverer who would remember the station and some of its history. Mrs. Priester, the postal deliverer, offered to show us its former location and we may return some day, just to see where the "doll house" once stood.

LANDRUM, SC

This Southern Railway Station typlifies the size and architecture of the small town station along the Southern Line.

(September 1974 "Best Friend" Newsletter)

McCORMICK, SC SCL No. 0980 sits outside the station in McCormick, along with a trailer and satellite dish...quite a mixture ! x
SCL/L&N Train at McCormick Station Family Lines System

MULLINS, SC

The SCL Station at Mullins, SC is a good example of a small town station - complete with train with order signals.(courtesy of Mike West)

ORANGEBURG, SC

The Orangeburg Station looks like a scene from a western movie. The horses and carriages indicate that this picture is quite old.

PELION, SC

This station sat off the road and looked deserted for a long time and then it disappeared and suddenly reappeared beside a lake right off Hwy 178. We went exploring down a road named "No Trespassing" and found the little station to be in good repair with a fresh coat of white paint. What a wonderful lake house!

At the Pelion Town Hall we were told that the station had been bought relocated and was being used year round. Beside the town hall sat an old Southern Railway car which had been used as a reading room by the public library. The history of the town and railroad was given to us and we found it to be very interesting.

PORT ROYAL, SC

The Port Royal Depot has been relocated away from the railroad tracks to Main Street. The building is currently a retail store dealing in shark related items. The proprietor is known for his deep sea expeditions exploring sharks and their habitat. Now ... a visit to this location would be an interesting week-end outing!

May 2005 Update...Well forget that... The shark fellow met an unexpected diving problem 6 months ago and the depot is now being rented by a photograph studio. We should have gone ahead and visited like we wanted to last year! We hear that all of the shark stuff is now packed away in boxes.

PORT ROYAL
2005

A recent visit to Port Royal presented a good photo op. The station is now a framing business. To the back of the station is a cute red caboose that seems perfect for birthday parties or even a cafe. The caboose houses a table and two chairs reminiscent of an old ice cream parlor.

RAVENEL, SC

This CSX station at Ravenel was bought by the town in the mid 1980's and is scheduled to be moved a short distance from the RR tracks on Hwy 165 where it will be restored to its original condition. The depot will be made into a museum with ACL and SAL artifacts as a primary focus. The museum will contain many artifacts contributed by the CCNRHS, including a teletype machine used at the SY switching tower that was located in the neck area of Charleston where the Seaboard track crossed those of Southern Railway and a telegraph key.

RIDGEVILLE, SC

Southern Depot in Ridgeville, SC, 1980.

SPARTANBURG, SC

This photograph of the Spartanburg Depot shows the portion of the
depot that still stands.
The smoke stack of Spartan Mills may be seen to the right of the depot.
(courtesy of Ann L. Helms)

ULMER, SC

It appears from this photograph, there is more than railroading going on here.

UNION, SC

... Beautiful structure ... future uncertain ...
Let's work to keep it as a shining example of our proud heritage.

Thanks to Jennie Holton Fant for alerting us about it's condition.
(photo couretsy of John Jones)

	WALTERBORO, SC

	Built in the 1890's, the Walterboro Railroad Depot on Railroad Avenue (now Memorial Avenue) was home to freight agent, Darling P. Patterson, known as "Uncle Darl". Conductor T. J. Blanchard took good care of his passengers by looking up and down Railroad Avenue before giving the signal, "All Aboard". Travelers would notify him a day in advance of their plan to board the train. He once backed the train a good distance to pick-up a late arrival. On a recent visit in August 2005, a photo was taken of the depot. It shows the deterioration which has taken place over the last few years. Reportedly there are plans for a retail store in the depot after it is renovated. x
	WALTERBORO 2005 Well, folks...here it is...the Walterboro Railroad Station. Yes, this is the station I drove all the way from Charleston to visit and photograph for this spot on our website. Not only was the welcome mat not out but the grass had not been cut.

YEMASSEE, SC

Young Marine recruits leave the Yemassee Station to return to Parris Island for boot camp and basic training. The station is now host to a yearly reunion for former Marines and their families every October.

Engine No. 201 sits at the station no more but the old baggage cart still serves the station when needed. Most of the stores across the street from the station are still in business just like they were when Marines frequented the station at the time of this photo. (1940's)

OTHER PHOTOS


Chapter member, Phillip Segui, photographed two areas under the Limehouse Bridge on Johns Island. One photograph shows a single palmetto tree to the right of the center column of the bridge. An ACL stationmaster was reported to have planted palmetto trees (usually in groups of three) across from the stations where he worked. The second photograph shows what appears to be the base of the old Johns Island RR Station. (2004)

RAILROAD TOWERS

Our collection of photographs of railroad towers has started out with a small sputter, but we are soliciting help in adding to our collection. Credit will be given to anyone who contributes to the Charleston Chapter's website. We also are soliciting updated information on the whereabouts of some of the old towers. There are interesting ways that the outdated towers could be used, such as the plans for the playhouse below.

We are finding that many of the untold stories about railroading and the structures that were associated with railroading, reside in the minds and attics of our more senior citizens. We encourage everyone to talk with them and allow their stories, pictures and comments to be shared with all railfans. Don't allow this part of the history to go unpublished. Contact us at bfoc1830@yahoo.com with any contribution you are able to offer.


CHARLESTON, SC This SAL tower sat alongside I-26.	CHARLESTON, SC This SR and SAL watchman's tower was removed in March 1986 by engineer James Walker of Rock Mountain who planned to refurbish the tower as a playhouse for his children.	SAVANNAH, GA Smoke stack at round house, Central of Georgia. Lower portion is bathhouse for employees. Phototaken 14 October, 1996. (Captain Le Cato collection)	OLEANDER, FL INT Tower photographed in 1929.