Rocky Mount Passenger Station

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I am hearing radio announcements about a big festival in Rocky Mount, NC during the October 13-15 weekend. Susposedly one of the events is the reopening of the renovated passenger station.

Has anyone heard any details of this? Is there a website or an email address to contact for more information? If this is the official reopening, is the society planning anything to mark the event?

Craig Strickland

-- Craig Strickland (cstrick@coastalnet.com), October 02, 2000

Answers

I attended the "Down East Festival" on Saturday for the reopening of the Rocky Mount Passenger Station. The station looks to be pretty much complete now. They are still working on the shelter along the tracks. Amtrak is moving into the station tomorrow, Monday 10/16, and the Amshack will close. According to Peter Varney, Rocky Mount City Manager (I Think) the grand reopening with all the politicians will be right after Thanksgiving this year. The Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce has moved in and they occupy the second floor. The society area is planned for a spot on the third floor. Roaming around on the thrd floor, it looks like most of the work is done. I think we will be pleased with the results of the restoration. For the most part it looks pretty original, except of course where new building codes have forced changes. The benches in the waiting room are the old wooden benches. Nothing fancey here. The two story atrium is pretty, as are the old tile floors.

That is the short and sweet version of the reopening of Rocky Mount.

Craig Strickland

-- Craig Strickland (cstrick@coastalnet.com), October 15, 2000.


The Oct. 14 event is Rocky Mount's "Down East" annual festival. Since the station is nearly complete and major areas are done, the city is holding a sort of "open house" and allowing tours of the finished portions. This is not the "official" grand opening, which will occur when the station and grounds are completely finished - perhaps this December. Details of the Oct. 14 events are on the Rocky Mount web site, http://www.ci.rocky-mount.nc.us/parks&rec/de2000.html.

The Society's archive space is among those portions not yet finished.

Amtrak is scheduled to move out of the "Amshack" south of the station and back into the renovated building starting Oct. 16.

If anyone locally can clip any newspaper articles about the station, the festival, etc. (especially if they mention the Society), please send them to our Valrico address.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), October 03, 2000.


The Sunday Rocky Mount Telegram had an article about the celebration. The society was mentioned. The paper may have a website.

Unnamed historical items are to be on display. The passenger car is still under the shed at the city shop, unfinished. The trucks have been moved and that area paved. I assume the trucks were underwater in the flood.

Tom Stallings

-- Tom Stallings (tlstalli@libertybay.com), October 02, 2000.


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