Historical marker tells of old Greenville, Ala. depot, historic district

Historic Greenville, Ala. Depot

This week’s featured historical marker is the “WEST COMMERCE STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT / HISTORIC GREENVILLE DEPOT” marker in downtown Greenville, Alabama. The marker is located at the intersection of Commerce Street and Bolling Street, on the north end of the old train depot and just east of the railroad bridge over Commerce Street.

This marker was erected by the Alabama Historical Association in 2000. There’s text on both sides of this marker, and both sides are unique. What follows is the complete text from the marker.

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“WEST COMMERCE STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT: The completion of the railroad in the late 1850s brought commercial energy to this historic district, and Greenville became a major trade center between Montgomery and Mobile. The capital generated by this trade allowed the construction of brick commercial buildings which were completed by 1890. The downtown historic area was revitalized in 1997. Sponsored by the Sasanqua Garden Club of Greenville.”

“HISTORIC GREENVILLE DEPOT: The depot highlights the West Commerce Street Historic District and is symbolic of the major role the railroad played in making Greenville a regional trade center. For many years, this was the only shipping point for a six-county region of south central Alabama. Passengers met here to catch the silver Hummingbird for a trip to the city. Built in 1910, reconstructed in 1924 and restored in 1995, the Old Depot is an example of one of the few remaining brick and stucco buildings of its kind in south Alabama. Sponsored by the Sasanqua Garden Club of Greenville.”

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If you decide to check out this marker on your own, your best bet is to park in the parking lot at the Old Depot. Once you get out, walk down the side of the depot building towards Commerce Street. The marker’s at the end of the depot at the end of the building, not far from a set of concrete steps that lead up to the depot from Bolling Street. Once you’re done reading the marker, walk around to the west side of the depot where you’ll see the area where trains once came and went.

This marker is just one of many in downtown Greenville, so if you make a visit to Greenville to see this marker, be sure to check out the other markers that you’ll find along Commerce Street. I’ve written about some of those in earlier posts and have a few more to talk about in the coming weeks and months.

Also, if you time your visit just right, you might be able to see the inside of the depot building. That building currently houses the local Chamber of Commerce’s offices, and unless things have changed, they welcome visitors during business hours.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.