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Museum Hopping
C&O Depot enjoys new life, celebrates history
By Margo Oxendine, Staff Writer
COVINGTON - We've all been there thousands of times. Many of us recall the "good old days" in Covington - the vital, teeming downtown, the panoply of places to see and things to do.
There's nothing new in Covington; nothing we haven't seen before, right?
Wrong.
There's something quite old that is wonderfully new again: The C&O Depot.
Anyone with a yen for history, and most especially a railroad buff, simply must stop by the restored depot at 149 Maple Avenue - across from the old Hotel Collins.
After a concerted effort of labor and love - about $700,000, and three years - the Alleghany Historical Society is now holding court in the gleaming old station that is new again. The depot is open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, from 2 until 4 p.m. There is no phone, yet, but you'll finda friendly, knowledgeable volunteer docent or two to guide you through the town's rich railroad history.
The restored depot was built in 1908, a time of great hustle and bustle in Covington. Like many towns across America, Covington began to grow as soon as the railroad tracks were laid.
 | | "Old 701," the locomotive that ran from Covington to Hot Springs, was retired in 1954 and donated by C&O to the City of Covington. The G-5 Class 2-8-0 was lovingly restored to a gleaming polish, and then given a parade as it made its way through town and to the Main Street Park in Covington, where it sits today. (Recorder photo by Margo Oxendine) |
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Just like Hot Springs, it was a sleepy little wide spot in the dirt road until the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad came to town. In Hot Springs, that came to pass when railroad president M.E. Ingalls bought The Homestead in 1891. In Covington, 20 miles south, it happened earlier than that. The first depot was built in 1867; the second, a sagging wooden structure that still stands, adjacent to the "new" depot, was built in 1880.
One of the most interesting facts about Covington's growth is this: In 1880, its population was about 700; by 1900, that had more than quadrupled, to 3,000; and then, just 20 years later, there were more than 5,000 folks bustling about town.
This and other fascinating tidbits of Covington railroad history are found in a magazine one can buy at the depot, the September 2007 issue of "C&O History: The Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Magazine." The photos alone are worth the $5 price.
 | | Rev. Dianne Quarles enjoys looking at a photo of her father, Howard Brown, Sr. at the C&O Depot Museum in Covington. Howard Brown was known as "The Melody Man" on WKEY radio during the 1940s. The photograph is part of a month-long exhibit celebrating Covington's African-American history. (Recorder photos by Margo Oxendine) |
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There are many in Bath County who can still remember boarding the train in Hot Springs and hopping down to Covington for shopping. The Hot Springs branch ran for 24.352 miles, along what today is Route 687. Sometimes, the tracks are still visible; but the magnificentlocomotives, and serviceable freight and plush passenger cars, are long gone. Even the little towns along the route, with names like Harrington, Barber, Jenkins Ford, Kincaid and Grose, are a fading, distant memory.
By 1971, travel by train had been usurped by the interstate highway system, as had much of the freight traffic. The depot in Covington closed, and began its decline. The railroad leased the building to the City of Covington; C&O would maintain the property and grounds. For awhile, there was an arts center inside the old depot, but soon enough, it wasn't even serviceable enough for that.
 | | Docents Murray Young and Bi Plasters greeted visitors to the C&O Depot in Covington last week. The newly-renovated museum is open from 2 until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It took the Alleghany Historical Society about three years, and close to $700,000 in public and private funds and donations to transform the historic building. |
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The City of Covington considered, in 1995, applying for federal grants to save the depot; the council's first effort failed; plans for a second try were tabled … indefinitely.
But the dream to save the old depot did not die. The Alleghany Historical Society kept fanning the flames, and the spark eventually glowed ever brighter. Because federal grants would require matching funds ($143,000) from a city already strapped with more necessary expenditures, it was decided that, if the matching funds could be raised privately, the city would bestow its blessing and submit the grant.
 | | This magnificentmetal bench, about 20 feet long, enjoys a commanding presence inside the restored old C&O Depot in Covington. The museum, at 149 Maple Avenue, features many photos and fascinating pieces of railroad memorabilia. |
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Private donors got to work. The AHS pledged $5,000; the Alleghany Foundation promised another $73,000; the historical society initiated a fund drive to acquire the additional $65,000. It was 2005 before the society reached its goal. By then, other state, federal and local monies had come into the coffers, and construction work on the old depot finally began.
The lovely old terra cotta roof required extensive repair. About two-thirds of the tiles were salvaged and, in a stroke of luck, the tile company was still in business, and matching replacement tiles were available. The exterior of the building was finished in 2006. Then came the interior restoration. This required lots of work on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, electric and plumbing facilities. But, the fabulous old tile floors remain; the gorgeous arched windows and other attractive architectural features are preserved.
 | | This depot, built in 1880, was the second for the C&O railroad in Covington. It replaced the first, built in 1867. The newly-restored depot adjacent was built in 1908. The Alleghany Historical Society has its sites now set on this 1880 depot, and is already working on exterior renovations, with help from an $82,500 Alleghany Foundation grant. |
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Today, stepping into the C&O Depot, one almost can imagine walking up to the ticket window, setting down one's satchel, and paying the $20 fare to Grand Central Station. A handsomely-restored 20-foot metal bench, on loan from Cat and Owl (C&O - get it?) Restaurant owner Bruce Proffitt,stands waiting for the weary traveler. Ceiling fans spin in lazy circles, and there are ample photographs, memorabilia and railroad artifacts to capture the interest of visitors. The place is staffed by volunteers, many of whom "remember when" the station was a hub of activity, when folks crossed the tracks by using the pedestrian bridge, when hotels like the Intermont, the Collins, and the O'Gara offered a bed for overnight guests, and a finemeal for anyone who walked in the door.
This month, the C&O Depot presents a tribute to Covington's African-American community, paying special attention to Watson High School and Wrightsville Baptist Church. On Sunday, March 30, the Alleghany Historical Society presents its annual spring meeting, with Dr. Paul Linkenhoker, former AHS president and retired educator, and Teresa Johnson as speakers. They will address African American history in the Highlands, with an emphasis on education, both before and after the Brown Decision, which brought desegregation to American schools.
Information about hours and special events can be found on the city's website, www.covington.va.us; just search for "depot." Civil War buffs should check the website for a special depot display in April, on a date yet to be determined.
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