Submitted by Cissye Pierce
In the summer of 2014, a group of interested people got together to talk about the Grand Junction Depot Building. It was collapsing and Mayor Lane was concerned. Saplings were growing through the roof and parts of the foundation timbers were rotted. What was to be done with it? It was becoming an eyesore, but yet, it’s the only surviving depot building in Hardeman County.
This group of people decided that it was indeed worth saving. The trains and railroads are so much a part of the history of Grand Junction. It was named as such because it was the cross-meeting place of the Mississippi Central Railroad and the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. It was sought after during the War Between the States by both the North and South because of its strategic location. It boomed during Reconstruction, while others faltered.
The first Bird Dog field trials were held by gentlemen from Memphis stepping off the train and being met by the Ames wagons to proceed to the plantation for hunting. A young man named Thomas Edison was a telegraph operator at Grand Junction. The town was famous around the turn of the 20th century for its pottery. The trains shipped it all over the country! People regularly rode the trains to Memphis for shopping.
The Depot should be a place to celebrate all of this history! A vision, a mission and a nonprofit organization were formed. It is called the Grand Junction Depot Museum Corporation.
By 2015, the State of Tennessee had approved a charter for this corporation, and the board members were: Kathy Ledbetter, Scott Ledbetter, Earl Smith, Jamie Evans, Lou Kerns, Ken Savage, Cissye Pierce, Rex Brotherton and Gerald Wade. These board members raised the money to start with the initial phase of restoring the Depot.
By 2018, the roof, floors, and foundation timbers had been restored, and the Depot was “in the dry”! After several more years, the windows were repaired and paint was applied. A depot sign was added. The Hess family then deeded more land to the corporation. New board members were added: Jonathon Harris, Angela Krannichfeld, and Ransom Crenshaw.
The next phase of this exciting restoration project is ready to begin, and we want you to be a part of it! Together, we can make the Depot a place that all of Grand Junction and Hardeman County can be proud of, a place where our history is preserved and future generations can experience the charm of days gone by.
We invite you to join us at the Crafts Fair on October 10 at the Laffayette Gin in Grand Junction, where we will share more about this important project and raise funds to support the restoration. As part of the event, you will receive a free ticket for admission inside the Depot, giving you a special opportunity to see its character and charm for yourself.
Every contribution, large or small, is greatly appreciated and will help us move this project forward. Donations may be sent to Grand Junction Depot Museum Corporation, P.O. Box 353, Grand Junction, Tennessee 38039.
More progress is on the way, and we encourage you to be a vital part of bringing the Grand Junction Depot back to life!
The Magnolia Post
