The Cotton Belt Depot Museum is a museum located in the historic railroad depot in Tyler, Texas, United States.
 Cotton Belt Depot Museum in 2018 | |
  Cotton Belt Depot Museum  Cotton Belt Depot Museum Cotton Belt Depot Museum (the United States) | |
| Location | 210 E. Oakwood St., Tyler, Texas |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°21′15″N 95°17′52″W / 32.35417°N 95.29778°W |
| Type | Model trains Railroad memorabilia |
| Website | Cotton Belt Depot Museum Tyler Texas |
St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt) Passenger Depot | |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1905 |
| Built by | St. Louis Southwestern Railway |
| Architectural style | Prairie School, et.al. |
| MPS | Tyler, Texas MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000873[1] |
| Added to NRHP | August 8, 2001 |
History
editTyler, Texas, had been a railroad hub since the Houston and Great Northern first came through the town in 1873.[2] The depot was opened in 1905. The passenger service ceased in April 1956 and it has been used for different purposes until it was donated to the City of Tyler in 1988. In 2003, following a major renovation the space was shared by the Tyler Transit Department and the museum. Tyler Transit occupies the waiting area and the museum occupies what used to be the baggage storage area.[3]
The museum is run by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society Tyler Tap Chapter, which was part of the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society before breaking off to form a separate organization.[4]
Museum
editThe model train collection of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Bragg is the bulk of the hands-on exhibit. Other artifacts and memorabilia have been donated by various individuals.[4]
Gallery
edit-
O-scale model railway layout
-
Interior
-
Interior
-
Interior
See also
edit- Carnegie History Center
- Goodman-LeGrand House
- List of museums in East Texas
- St. Louis Southwestern Railway
- Tyler Museum of Art
- Whitaker-McClendon House
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Smith County, Texas
| Preceding station | St. Louis Southwestern Railway | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsboro toward Gatesville
|
Main Line | Big Sandy toward St. Louis
| ||
References
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ McCroskey, Vista K. "Tyler Tap Railroad". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ Reed, Robert Earl (2009). Tyler. Arcadia Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7385-7178-2.
- ^ a b "Cotton Belt Train Museum". Retrieved July 24, 2020.