Good Ole Days at Whiteville Depot

Good Ole Days at Whiteville Depot
The Town of Whiteville was founded in the
early 1800’s as a trading post and was incorporated in
1901. The town is located in the northwest corner of
Hardeman County between Memphis and Jackson,
Tennessee. Whiteville is the smallest town between
Memphis and Bruceton via Jackson. The Tennessee
Midland Railroad built a new railroad through this
town in the 1890’s. Later the railroad was acquired
by Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway.
During the 1910’s the population of Whiteville was
741. Then in the 1950’s it increased to 794. Today it
is more than 3,200. The Whiteville depot was on
Main Street (U.S. Highway 64) at TN Secondary 15.
It may have been built near the 1900’s. I discovered
the Cordova depot east of Memphis in Shelby County
was built in 1895. The Whiteville depot floor plan
was the same as Cordova with exactly 1,216 square
feet heated space. It is a “mirrored” plan with the red
and green train signal pole which was later changed to
a semaphore signal.
Upper left: During the early 1900’s over 300 people
listened to a special speaker. I am not sure who this
person was. The ladies and gentlemen rode on their
horses and wagons to attend. In the foreground the
listeners stood on a railroad wagon that appears to be
decorated possibly for a parade. In the background is
the railway hotel as mentioned by my mother in
another story (see NCPS newsletter page 14 issued
November 2007).
Middle left: A few people enjoy the fresh air as they
wait for the NC&STL train in the early 1900’s. Two
“wagon” looking carts for luggage & packages are
ready to be loaded when the train arrives. The depot
agent, Ollie Henry Priddy, Sr. worked here. When he
retired, Wilburn Darnell took his place.
Left: My mother’s aunt, Annie Laura Pepper showed
off as she climbed on the ladder of the signal pole
while waiting for the train.. In this 1920’s photo the
schedule board can be seen as well as the luggage
carts. The building farther east is the Whiteville
bank. It is no longer standing. It was destroyed by
fire some years ago.
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Left: Here the train is traveling west, heading for the
Whiteville Depot. There is a wigwag signal next to
the NC&STL Pacific engine Class K, circa 1930. The
pedestrians are waiting for the train to pass. In the
foreground is a shadow of the depot with signal pole.
Whiteville’s railroad facilities also included two spur
tracks that went to a stock pen and cotton gin. A
wooden water tank with white-top with brown bottom
is west of the depot. The approximate mile long
siding track allowed a maximum 80 freight cars to
park on the bypass. It is nearly the longest siding in
the south half of the Paducah & Memphis Division.
The line ran about 12 trains per day (4 passenger
trains, 6 mixed freight trains and 2 local trains),
maybe up to 80 cars per train. Most of the freight
trains were short and averaged about 35 cars.
Passenger trains traveled at a speed of 60 mph, mixed
freight trains up to 50 mph and military trains up to
40 mph on the main line.
Middle left: In the 1940’s a passenger train is
stopped at the station. The man at the right is loading
and unloading the mail packages with a dolly.
Lower left: Note the “Southern Express Company”
dark-color sign under the “Whiteville” station sign.
This is the name of the delivery company. Each
depot on this line might have had a SEC sign.
Many of the pictures included in this article
were provided by my friend, Charles G. Blanton. He
has lived his entire life in Whiteville except for a
period of time when he was serving in the Korean
War. Charles is one of those rail fans that took many
pictures of the trains and different places around
Whiteville. One time he was brave enough to climb
to the top of the public water tower and take some
pictures, a “birds eye” view. I asked him, “Have you
ever taken a picture of the aerial view of Whiteville
Depot?” He had not. I think if he had, then that
would be his best picture of all. I wish there were
other rail fans in the bigger towns, like Somerville &
Lexington who might have pictures of the NC&STL
trains. Maybe there are some that I don’t know about.
I would like very much to communicate with anyone
interested in the old train era.
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I found the above postal card in my mother’s memory book. It shows the depot standing at the west end
of main street in downtown Whiteville about 1955. The depot was demolished and the main line pulled up in
1968. It is a shame that the depot was torn down. It might have become an ice cream store, restaurant or local
government office. Today the Post Office building has taken the depot’s place. Everywhere is quieter than the
in past. In my mind I always think it was a beautiful day while NC&STL train was active. I wish it was there
today.
Eric C. Fleet
NC&STL Railway Exploration
http://ericfleet.ncstl.com
ericfleet@ncstl.com
August 2008
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