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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1883 Depot Reconstruction. , - - - _ -. ~..~. .,z~~ . w.M... ~] `-ter--~ F,.- ~ .- -~- r~~ .-~ .-~. ,,,_~~ , ..t do ~~.. _ ~ -~ -- .~ j_~ _ _ _ ~ COLLEGE STATION v= _Q=- v v ~ rr rT o.- c`- -a=- -a. ~ ~ a-- v a n -~ _j -~- HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE INFORMATION FOR' DISCUSSION OF 1883 DEPOT RECONSTRUCTION . GUEST:_ L. DAVID GODBEY, AIA - MARCH ~2, 1994 ~~~ - ~ _ ~ - 6 .. t - } -..~ Notes for CSHPC' prepared by Greg Keith, February 22, 1994 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY PHYSICAL PLANT DEPARTMENT _ ~~~~ I~ a~ L. DAVID GODBEY, AIA R ~=~~ ASST. DIRECTOR R~ ENGINEERING AND DESIGN ~tCYC?f~ 409/845-5317 COLLEQE STATION. TEXAS 77843 FAX NO. 409/845-0051 INTRODUCTION L. David Godbey, AIA, is the Assistant Director in Engineering and Design for the Texas A&M University Physical Plant Department. David received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska in 1961. He has held his current position since July of 1992. Among other projects, David led the Physical Plant design review team for the George Bush Presidential Library and Teaching Center. Mr. Godbey's previous two positions were with Henningson, Durham & Richardson, Inc. of Dallas and CRSS in Houston. David has worked on projects in many areas: locations include Washington DC, Michigan, Korea, Cancun, Canada, and Texas. BACKGROUND I learned of David Godbey's interest in this project a few weeks ago in Professor David Woodcock's graduate historical preservation class. Professor Woodcock allowed me access to Amy Hammon's depot research project, which is included in this report. The following letter gives some background on this project. David is meeting soon with the Class of '94 about their gift. The 1883 depot might be a great project for them. ;.....tiM1u.._L._ n'w...,, :~ r ~j~~`t j,': < J:i Y3 ~ ar~`~'~w 43§ :~ LL» ~ `~ ~~ ~_ :, \~ ~. "-1876--~'~:' ........n ..~^F' TEXAS A&M UI'rII`jERSITl' Physical Plant department College Station, Texas 77843-1371 (409?845-5317 FAX (409} 845-0051 August 19, 1993 Engineering and File: 1710.41 (am) Design Services MEMORANDUM TO: Professor David' G. Woodcock Department of Architecture FROM: L. David Godbey, AIA Assistant Director SUBJECT: THE COLLEGE STATION DEPOT I am pleased to know you are interested in having a student or students undertake a research project on this 1883 building with the end product to be a set of preliminary plans and outline specifications. Engineering and Design Services will then produce a set of construction documents based on these drawings and make the necessary arrangements for financing and permission to erect the building near its original location. My initial idea is that the cost will be shared equally by some facet of the University (possibly a class gift) and the City of College Station. No official contact has been made with the City of College Station and I think we need to get further along before doing that. You will be interested to know that we work closely with Dave Salmon, Student Development Specialist, who advises the graduating classes on their gift to Texas A&M. The Victory Eagle ($75,000) in Cain Park, the gift of the Class of '91, will be dedicated September 4. We have completed final designs of the new lettering for the west stands of Kyle Field ($50,000), the gift of the Class of '93. Construction will begin shortly. I have mentioned this Depot project to Dave briefly as a possible gift from a future class and he is most interested. I suggest we meet with him to brief him on the project in more detail when the research is underway. Please give me a call when you would like to get together. L. David Godbey, AIA cf: /usr/eds/prj/admin/corsp/dg_woodcock.wp LOCATION On Tuesday, February 22, David and I drove past the proposed sight for the 1883 depot. It is in a small field west of Wellborn adjacent to the railroad tracks. It is about 80 yards southwest of the Albritton belltower. The proposed site is about half that distance in the same direction from the original site of the 1883 depot. The clearing is reminiscent of the barren prarie on which A&M was built. If the depot is built, perhaps the state marker to be dedicated this spring can be moved to the depot site. David mentioned that he knows someone who has a bench from the 1883 depot. This would add authenticity and interest to the project if it was donated. Publicity will probably generate. donations of other original items from the landmark. Old newspaper articles and authentic H&TC ticket stubs could decorate the interior walls. ,_~`- ,,. Texas Historical Commission Staff (REO), 10/21/93 27" x 42" Official Texas Historical Marker with post Brazos County (Job x`13193) Location: Old main Drive at Welborn Road (FM 2154), on the Texas A&M University campus, College Station COLLEGE STATION RAILROAD DEPOTS* IN 1871 TEXAS GOVERNOR EDMUND DAVIS APPOINTED THREE COMMISSIONERS TO SELECT A SITE FOR THE NEWLY ESTAB- l LISHED AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS (TEXAS A&M COLLEGE)~THE COMMISSIONERS CHOSE THIS LOCATION IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE EXISTENCE OF A HOUSTON AND TEXAS CENTRAL(H&TC)RAILROAD LINE WHICH BEGAN IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS-AND EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AREA TO ITS TERMINUS IN BRYAN(5 MI.NORTH)~ ALTHOUGH NO RAILROAD DEPOT EXISTED HERE AT THE TIME OF TEXAS A&M'S FORMAL OPENING IN 1876,H&TC MADE REGULAR STOPS HERE FOR INCOMING AND OUTGOING COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY H&TC RAILROAD CONDUCTOR ANNOUNCE- MENTS REFERRING TO THIS STOP AS COLLEGE STATION GAVE RISE TO THE NAME OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY H&TC CONSTRUCTED A DEPOT AT THIS SITE IN 1883 WHICH IT REPLACED WITH A NEW DEPOT ABOUT 1900~THE H&TC DEPOTS AND ANOTHER BUILT BY THE INTERNATIONAL & GREAT NORTHERN(IGN)RAILROAD JUST EAST OF THIS SITE IN 1900 WERE FOR I~lANY STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED TEXAS A&M THE FIRST REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCErr RAILROAD DEPOTS OWNED BY THE H&TC(LATER SOUTHERN PACIFIC)AND IGN(LATER MISSOURI PACIFIC)MAINTAINED PASSENGER SERVICE AT THIS LOCATION UNTIL 1959~IN 1966 THE LAST OF THE DEPOT STRUCTURES WAS RAZED** (1993)*** *3/4 inch lettering **1/2 inch lettering ***1/4 inch lettering FUNCTIONAL VALUE The 1883 depot would be worthwhile even if it was a locked reconstruction piece, but the depot could actually serve a practical purpose. Some ideas are as follows: 1) A soft drink/snack vending shelter 2) West campus gift shop 3) West campus visitor and information center 4) Campus bus shelter 5) New location for Amtrack station 6) Small museum displaying old furniture, photographs, and architectural campus models 7) West campus confectionary 8) Rollerblade rental outlet 9) Campus tour center (using current or new guide book) 10) West campus emergency/first aid station 11) Photo opportunity/film/souvenir shop The Historical View of the College Station Depots and the Importance of Their Preservation A report addressed to preservationists and the administration of Texas A&M University. Amy L. Hammons 2 November 1993 Abstract The purpose of this report is to provide information about the beginning of the College Station Depots for the faculty and administration of Texas A&M University. This will enable them to make informed decisions concerning the re-creation of this historic structure. Since the rail line was a major contributor to placement of A&M, a depot would be a symbol of 120 years of education, tradition and progression for the College. The many building types of this campus show a progression through time for Texas A&M. Most early examples have been moved off campus or destroyed. This particular depot is thought to have been moved and used as campus housing. A 1914 campus map shows it had been replaced and had been moved or razed by that time. No one is sure of specific dates of movement, but pictures remain and so do memories of the structure. The recreated depot would show a technical and social journey through the years, as well as a stylistic one; for most of the students and faculty the train was the only form of transportation in the first fifty years of A&M's existence. By researching the rail line's history, the administration will be informed of the impact it had on Texas as well as Texas A&M University. By researching its social impact, the historical significance is intensified. After understanding the rail line's significance, the University will realize how the Depot is a symbol of the tradition it holds so dear. A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE COLLEGE STATION DEPOTS Site History of the Rail Line in Brazos County In 1848, the Houston and Texas Central rail line was chartered. The extension of the rail service to staggered settlements in and about central Texas meant growth in number and opportunity. People gained easier access to new cities, and these cities received supplies and materials needed to grow and prosper at a faster rate. Boonville, then the seat of Brazos County, therefore became the prime target of the H & TC rail extension. At this time William J. Bryan, descendant of Stephen F. Austin, had settled a town in the area and was interested in the prospects the rail line had to offer. In 1859, he proposed that the H & TC choose the land through his settlement and offered a lower price than the rail line's first choice, Boonville. H & TC accepted Bryan's offer, and eight years later, the tracks through Bryan were completed (Balliew, 10). At this time, Bryan typified a modern frontier town: "Stores unabashedly stayed opened on Sunday. Numerous saloons encouraged drinking and gambling; on occasion shootings broke out" (Balliew, 10). Though the town did prosper and grow despite and because of this reputation, more reputable citizens were anxious to lose the frontier image and establish a more stable and responsible community. ~~~~i~~ ~~ dduh~~udi~ ~ ~~'~~I~~ ~ I'~~~~~ '~ a The Formation of the A&M College of Texas The Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 was one of the few progressive pieces of legislation to come from the Civil War years. It addressed the need for utilitarian education with an emphasis on agricultural and mechanical studies. This education was to be emphasized among the working class, those young men and future leaders of Texas (Dethloff, 10). Though slow to form, the A&M College of Texas was officially established on April 4, 1871; a commission was to chose its site within thirty days. Austin, Galveston, Waco, San Marcos, Kellum Springs were among the sites considered by the group. The commission visited Bryan and was "wined and dined" so to speak by its major residents. This was Bryan's chance to overcome their frontier reputation and be associated with the first major educational institution of their state. Bryan citizens banded together to take advantage of this opportunity by donating $20-30,000 in funds to the College, as well as, more than 2000 acres of raw land. The next day, the land was bargained and sold to the College. The site was, however, located four miles south of Bryan. The committee had noticed the lack of morality mentioned earlier and felt that the distance was necessary to minimize the possibility of negative social influences (Balliew, 11). The A&M property selection was not accepted well by all Texans. Henry Dethloff, author of Centennial History of Texas A&M University, 1876= 1976, attributes this controversy to "party conflict, factionalism, and institutional loyalties" (19). But despite the grumblings, the settlement was made on June 21, 1871 and the school's construction began that fall. The College was centrally located to the Texas population and more importantly to the existing rail line. On October 4, 1876, the Agricultural and Mechanical College_ of Texas officially opened with 106 students in attendance. The original letters from the College were addressed from Bryan, Texas, but as the school grew, mail amount multiplied. The postal drop along the rail line found many had addressed the letters to "College Station" as a descriptive address in order for their mail to reach the school and students. In an evolutionary fashion, the U.S. Post Office Department designated the community with the title in February of 1877, and by April the College had replaced the Bryan letterhead address with College Station. The Rail lines and Their Importance to a Growing Community By 1883, the first permanent depot had been built and the H & TC had long since been making regular stops to the College (Photos seen on next page). The 1914 campus map shows two depots, both larger than the 1883 structure, and one photo shows what should be these buildings with power lines in the background. The College acquired electricity in 1890, so the 1883 depot must have stood at least until then. One photo indicates that after its replacement, the structure was moved to the THE DEPOTS. This is the first view of College Station. southeast corner of campus to provide additional faculty housing for the College. The school had grown so fast that housing had been in shortage consistently from its beginning. At times students were sheltered in tents and it was not until the 1920's that any off-campus housing was provided for faculty or visitors (Baaliew 13). It is important to understand that, with the exception of horse-based transport, the rail road was the only mode of transportation for most of the students and faculty; the first automobile in the area didn't come until 1901. The H & TC catered to the residents and students in the Bryan and College Station areas. The lone rail line supplied two trains in the daytime and two at night: In the daytime the north bound passed about 12:30 P.M. and the south bound at 4:00 P.M. Those having business in Bryan ... used the railroad, but the train schedule did not give much time in Bryan. ....those wishing to take a night train in either direction had to depend on flagging the train with a torch of some kind (Brazos Heritage..., 420). It was not until August 30, 1900 that another rail line came through the area. The International and Greater Northern Railroad's arrival encouraged further growth in the area and new plans for a rail line's use came into being. An inter-urban railway was suggested in order to make business transactions easier for those traveling back and forth between Bryan and College. Station. After years of discussion and debated, the "Toonerville Trolley" began service in 1910. These were gas-powered rail cars; they M .. ~ ..r ~~--~ ~ ~ ~-• v Rai. ~'rt~ ., ' yti-~. College Station became a regular passenger stop when the H& TC built a depot in 1883. This picture from the 1910 "Long- horn "shows the gingerbread trim and in the background, cam- pus housing. (Picture courtesy of TAMU archives were replaced by electric cars in 1915. In the beginning, the service cost 1 Q cents for aone-way ticket from one city to the other, and 15 cents for a round trip ticket. The Interurban Railway lasted until 1927, at which time the Bryan Traction Company replaced the train service with buses. The Historical Significance of the Rail Line, Specifically the Depot As we have seen, the rail line played a vital role in not only the placement of Texas' first College, but of the growth of College Station and its surrounding communities. The railroad is the reason that the gaps between Texas towns were bridged and its importance to new settlements were all- encompassing. People, supplies, mail, etc. were carried by the rail line, and in the case of A&M, it was the carrier of all information distribution to and from the College . For many, the College Station Depot was their first sight as they started their tenure at A&M, whether student or faculty. As noted from the photos on the following page, the depots were a gathering place and at that time, it served as a point of arrival for the College. The "Texas Aggie" published an article at the time of the last railroad station's demolition . It was featured as a campus landmark, and the tone of the article represents the importance of the depots to former students. It's destruction and the dramatic effect it had on the writer and other viewers were documented by the article: "...he watched the workmen rip the foundation earthward" (5). Memories of past glories surrounding the depots were also accounted in the afore mentioned article. Aggies gathered around the depot as President William ..Howard Taft spoke from the back of his train during a Southern swing in the spring of 1910. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was also a visitor by train to A&M. These honors and glories of Texas A&M's past all surround the rail line and its College Station Depots and that is why these structures are historically significant. The Importance of Preservation & Reconstruction of Depot When recording any history, letters and documents supplement the story and give credence to different accounts of events or happenings. Maps and photos are treasured and many times kept from being circulated among the public. These are physical parts of history we can see and touch. Likewise, buildings are physical representations of history. Buildings are social and structural pieces of the past that we are able to walk through, feel and experience. As in the case of the College Station Depot, it shows the beginning of Texas A&M. A reconstruction of the Depot is a historical marker of the beginning of the A&M College of Texas, the beginning of higher educational standards for the state and its citizens. Much closer to home, it is a reminder to former students of the way of life of the ones who have gone on before, their traditions and practices. R. "~,.r •' N,~;! ~.~[ 1 ~ p~.. _: ~.. tik n F,:' u, Z:. .: "Q:.. .` :i &~ PKESIDENT TAFT AT A. ~ M. ~~ `~ +r The College Station Depot as a marker also represents the growth of Texas A&M. The eclectic styles of the campus' buildings give a dating of their origin; a certain style is said to be of the 1950's or 1980's. From this information one can see the growth of A&M over the years, a chronological and technologic progression. Since no buildings from the College's first years remain, the 1883 Depot's reconstruction would add a visual example of how times have changed and how Texas A&M has matured. Drawings and Renderings ;: The following AutoCAD plots and renderings are approximated drawings of the 1883 building from photos, given or loaned by various campus sources and from the College Station Parks and Recreation Department. All periodical sources and the 1914 campus map are on file with the Texas A&M Archives. The two- additional engineering drawings were copied for me by Bill Kling, aself-employed engineer in Bryan, and former Aggie. The 1883 structure was a passenger station, used for the purchasing of tickets, and the picking up or dropping off of passengers. Not much room was needed for these activities, hence the small space (approx. 270 sq. ft.). Though no plans or elevations have been uncovered, any H & T C depot of the time, if found, would most likely have the same design and bare the same facade. The crossing wood slats along the exterior walls were common to depots of that time, and essentially the design evolved from the structure's function. Its location was along the present rail road tracks by Wellborn in College Station, just southwest of the current position of Albritton Tower. The 1914 map and the engineering drawings from following years show the area in detail. The location of the rail road and the fence, at that time, were approximated from photos, and were imported into the CAD drawings from a software package named PROSTEEL. The plots show the two adjoining roof structures, the posts that supported the roof overhang and the diagonal roof supports along the side walls; the renderings, however, do not show the latter. They were accomplished with a package named 3D STUDIO, its materials and textures. 1883 College Station Depot 'era West Elevation East Elevation North Elevation South Elevation I I I 11 III I I I' I I I' I I I n 111 II iI I I I I I I I I I „III IIIII, Ii 11 I Illilll !, ~CIIIIIII~I;IIII I 111 „' IIII 1i~11 IIII III%I VIII PjI Ili 1 1 • . .' ~!V~ h~i. .®~"Ikl ~drV~y I I '%''"~~~~, alj~1~1 „ I I, I III, %I ~u'ill,l III tl I I ~Inl~l I I III 1111711 1~ 141: ,, .I I I,~ hll - ~~ I111~ ~ ~ aIII I ~. I Ir I I h" ~~ u~ V I I f I 1~6 ~:. F 114 I II ~I IIII IIIIII I (IIII IIII IIII I I. ~" ~f~41 0. 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I I IIII% IIII I°~ i I' I IIIIIII II4 III. III . III I I II 41 I II I II IIIIII III ~ 1' III I~I III III I IIh II 1~ 61 II I I N N I I I I tl~ I I yyy I 1 N N I l ~~'~pp~ 1161 III ~ X11 IIII IIII X11 E-1111111111111 ~Iyy)~ ~Ipp¶m I ,4 ~ ~~~ I~ r i ~ ,I ~ ,.11 I I 'L ~ ... Ix MII~10fIYFPI~i~lll ~ r9 I''., III I 1 ~ 1 jN:~'I;I I I ~4 'iq; 1 I I I 1 1~ III III III I III YI: IIII IIII i ~ j1, IIII IY'. II IIII I~~p~®~ I I' f ~I. IDw 1YY. ' Amy Hammons Rosenberg - ENGL210 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Kate Efnor, "Historical Sketch of Brazos County", American Sketch Book 4 (1879). 2. Henry C. Dethloff, A Centennial History of Texas A&M University, (College Station, Texas: Texas A&M press, 1975). 3. Brazos County Heritage and History Council, Brazos County History. Rich Past Bright Future, (Bryan, Texas, 1986). 4. Deborah Lynn Balliew, College Station. Texas 1938-1988, (College Station, Texas, Intaglio Press, 1988). 5. D.B. Cofer, ed., ~y istory of Texas A&M College Through Letters and Pa emirs (CollegeStation, Texas: Association of Former Students, 1952). 6. Galveston Daily News, July 19, 1883, p.1. 7. Texas Aggie, August, 1966, p. 5. 8. Bryan Eagle, June 4, 1958. 9. The Eagle, November 15, 1988. 10. Austin American Statesman, June 19, 1958.