Ellerslie Depot Restoration & Walking Trail Project                            

*Note the following information was obtained from a brochure distributed by the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department.

Project Information:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department would like to invite you to become a community sponsor for the Ellerslie Depot Restoration Project. The Fire Department seeks to modernize the interior of the Ellerslie Depot and restore the exterior of the building to its original 1891 appearance. Our project has received support from Harris County's Board of Commissioners, a financial grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation and donations from numerous families throughout our community.

The depot, located at the intersection of Harris Road and Old Warm Springs Road, will be relocated to its original position along the railroad tracks facing Georgia Highway 85. After the relocation is complete the real changes will take place. A new roof and new restroom facilities will be added, the electrical wiring and lighting will be updated, a new heat pump will be installed and much, much more. Throughout this intensive reconstruction, the original 1890's wood planking and siding and the many historical architectural features will be preserved and restored.

If your family is new to the area, you may not realize that this building is available for use by all community members at any time. A small rental fee is charged to offset our utility costs. In its present condition, the building is not suitable for many of the functions it once hosted. Until recently, election polling was held at the depot along with community meetings and social functions, including birthday celebrations, family reunions, baby showers and more.

As we enter into our fifth year of fundraising for this renovation and near the construction phase of the project, we've discovered there has been a dramatic rise in the cost of building materials and labor since we received our preliminary estimates for the total cost of the project. These increased costs overextend our planning budget and force us to raise additional funds because completion of the project may now require three phases. We encourage the families of Ellerslie to work together with the Fire Department to raise this needed money and improve the facility for the benefit of our entire community.

For details about the Fire Department, paying annual dues, becoming a volunteer fire fighter, or for more information about the Depot Restoration Project, please contact Ellerslie's Fire Chief, Scott Davis, or Depot Project Chairwoman Linda Camp at 561-0628.

Sincerely,

The Ellerslie Depot Project Committee.

History of the Ellerslie Depot

The Georgia Midland and Gulf Railroad Company was incorporated on September 29, 1885 and the name was changed to Georgia Midland Railroad on March 17, 1886.

In the summer of 1886, the route was completed through Ellerslie and Waverly Hall,  and it officially opened December 1, 1886.  The railroad brought increased trade, lower freight rates and easier travel to the citizens of each community it passed through.

the Ellerslie Depot building was constructed in 1891.  It has a brick foundation, a metal shingle roof, and was painted in the railroad colors of ochre yellow and green trim.  It was described in old records belonging to the Norfolk Southern Railways, as being a Type 3 building, with the passenger end being of irregular size, and the trade end being 10-1/2' x 24' x 18'.

By mid 1894, the national rail depression hit it's peak.  The railway filed for bankruptcy and operated under receivership until 1896, when it was sold and reorganized under a state charter granted in March 1896.

In July 1896, the Georgia Midland Railroad was acquired by the Southern Railway Company, which began operation in 1895 and was part of the J.P. Morgan railroad empire.

Old public timetables show that Ellerslie was a stopping point from the opening of the railroad, but in 1901 Ellerslie became a flag stop, meaning the trains would only stop if signaled to do so.

In the late 1800's and early 1900's, Mr. C.O. Taylor, originally from Manchester, Georgia, was the depot agent, followed by Mr. Harry Greer, who lived in the community of Ellerslie.

The depot agent was the only local employee, acting as ticket agent, freight agent and telegraph operator.  During this time mail was being picked up and dropped off at Ellerslie on a daily basis.

Southern Railway retired the depot from active use, replacing it with  a 10' x 12'  waiting both and a 12' x 18' x 10' freight room.  In September 1946, the residents of Ellerslie learned that the railroad would be disposing of the Depot only 55 years after it's construction.

Members of the Ellerslie Methodist Church and the Bethesda Baptist Church formed a committee of local residents to go to Atlanta and purchase the Depot from Southern Railways. Funds were raised through individual contributions from the community and the building was purchased for $500.

Local storeowner, Charles Tidwell, deeded a piece of property to the Community of Ellerslie. The property, bounded on the North by the Southern Railway Right-of-way, was to become the new home for the Depot, only requiring that the building be move about 100 feet off of railroad property.

Between 1946 and 1950, the sliding freight doors were removed and replaced wit three windows on one side of the building and a door and a door and a window on the other side.  The exterior was covered with siding and the interior sealed with beaded board paneling in order to make the building more functional as a community center.

Since that time, it has been in continuous use as the only communal building in Ellerslie, Used for election polling, community meetings and activities, it's also available by reservation for private use by any Ellerslie resident.  To the best of our knowledge, this building is the last existing depot build by the original Georgia Midland Railroad Company.