The Central of Georgia Depot in

Andalusia, Alabama Andalusia is a city in and the county seat of Covington County, Alabama, Covington County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 8,805. History Andalusia was first settled in 1841 after floodi ...

is a historic

train station A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing suc ...

that has been converted into the Three Notch Museum.

Depot history

In the late 1890s, business leaders in Andalusia posted a $5000 prize for the first rail line to pass through the town. The

Central of Georgia Railway The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was cons ...

claimed the prize, completing the track in September 1899, and built a depot on land donated by residents. The town flourished with the new rail connection; population rose from 551 in 1900 to 2,480 in 1910. The last

Norfolk Southern The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the ...

train, successor to the Central of Georgia, departed Andalusia on March 31, 1983. The wooden depot is similar in design to other small-town stations along the Central of Georgia line. The one-story,

gable-roof A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

ed structure is clad with

board and batten A batten is most commonly a strip of solid material, historically wood but can also be of plastic, metal, or fiberglass. Battens are variously used in construction, sailing, and other fields. In the lighting industry, battens refer to linea ...

siding. Two front rooms with separate entrances were used as passenger waiting rooms. At the opposite end of the station is a large freight room. The agent's office spans the width of the building between the two, and features a

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...

bay window A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room. Types Bay window is a generic term for all protruding window constructions, regardless of whether they are curved or angular, or r ...

. ''See also:'' The building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1984.

Museum

The building was re-opened as a history museum in 1987; named after the Three Notch Trail of which two streets (East Three Notch Street and South Three Notch Street) in Andalusia are also named. Operated by the Covington Historical Society, the museum focuses on County history and area railroad history. Displays include many photographs, a bottle collection, historic cameras and accessories, tools and military artifacts. Other buildings in the museum include a restored post office with a period schoolroom in back, a pioneer log cabin and a country store. There are also two cabooses and a CSX motor car with a model railway layout outside the depot building.

References

External links

Three Notch Museum
National Register of Historic Places in Covington County, Alabama Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama Railway stations in the United States opened in 1899 Former Central of Georgia Railway stations History museums in Alabama Museums established in 1987 1987 establishments in Alabama Railway stations closed in 1983 Museums in Covington County, Alabama Transportation buildings and structures in Covington County, Alabama Former railway stations in Alabama {{Alabama-museum-stub