(rshsdepot) Halsey, OR

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Work on Halsey depot back on track
By Danita Shattuck

Albany Democrat-Herald

HALSEY - Work on the historic Halsey train depot is chugging along again
since the city recently acquired more money for the project.
When completed, the depot will become a community center and the new City
Hall.
The recent sale of one of two residential lots owned by the city on West
Fourth Street netted $32,413.50. The funds were transferred to the community
center project as budgeted, said Erika Metcalf, assistant city recorder.
"We expect to sell the other lot in the near future," she said.
The Cascade West Council of Governments earlier awarded the city a $75,000
"matching" grant, and Halsey received matching funds from the property sale.
Right now, although surrounded with new sidewalks, the tall building with
peeling yellow paint looks forlorn. The doors are boarded and posted with
"no trespassing" signs, and torn black plastic ripples in the window
openings.
Roofers last week completed shingling the roof. Roof drainage has been
donated by United Pipe and Supply. A cement floor is scheduled to be poured
within the next two weeks.
The plumbing, windows and doors, and the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning unit will be installed before March 31, Metcalf said. Sometime
between May and July, a city sewer line will be run under American Drive and
Halsey Street to the depot property.
Metcalf hopes that once people see progress being made, the community will
get more involved with the project.
She looks forward to getting at least part of the building in operation
soon.
"Our goal is to get the bottom open and usable first. Then open the top,"
she said.
The downstairs will house Meals on Wheels and Linn County Health.
"There's some talk of council meetings being held there. It's crowded at
City Hall," Metcalf said.
Smith Seed Co. donated the old depot, and Rainbow Construction moved the
102-foot building - in two halves - over half a mile to its new location at
the north end of town in April 2000. The cost for that move was $16,000.
This was not the first move for the building. It was originally located
three blocks south of its current location. In the 1960s the building was
moved to West First Street and used for grass-seed storage. Originally the
structure was built and used as a passenger and freight depot.
"The history of the depot is a difficult one to determine," Metcalf said.
Most of the commercial district, except for the depot, burned down in 1903.
Some of the relics found under the subfloor would indicate it was built in
the late 1880s or 1890s.
Metcalf would like to prove that Halsey has the oldest wooden train depot in
Oregon. The depot in Canby currently holds that title, she said.

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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