(rshsdepot) Leaksville, NC

[jdent1_@_optonline.net]

From the Eden (NC) Daily News=2E=2E=2E

Developers raze depot

J=2E Brian Ewing
Staff Writer
Tuesday=2C February 8=2C 2005

Developers destroyed the historic Leaksville train depot yesterday to mak=
e room for a video store and ice cream parlor=2E =

Tommy Fleming of Fleming Real Estate and Auction Co=2E confirmed the sale=
 of the property to Family Video=2E The Illinois-based company is the lar=
gest=2C privately held video and game rental chain in the nation with mor=
e than 340 stores in 10 states=2E Fleming said the company contacted him =
last March looking for a property=2E =


Scheduling of construction or hiring has not yet begun=2E =


Local historian Bob Carter rummaged through the demolition site looking f=
or clear indication of how old the depot was=2E =


=22They ran out of money while building the railroad before they got here=
=2E If I remember correctly it was 1883 when the railroad was bought and =
finally made it here=2E It=27s at least that old=2C=22 Carter said=2E =


The depot was located on the corner of Bridge Street and Boone Road but C=
arter said he does not think that was always so=2E =


According to Carter=2C the railroad was a short track running between sou=
thern Virginia and into Leaksville=2C servicing several mills along the w=
ay=2E He also said he believed the building had been moved across the str=
eet and added onto in the 1920s=2E =


Carter scavenged a few nails and wooden dowels an inch thick from the hea=
vy frame of the building=2E He said these tools will help date the origin=
al structure=2E =


Until recently=2C the building was a motorcycle repair shop=2E =


Joe Niemczura took on the job of leveling the old building=2E He said it =
was difficult for him to be nostalgic in his line of work=2E =


=22It=27s just a job to me=2C=22 he said=2E =


Niemczura also pointed out the devastation rendered to the main floor joi=
sts by termites=2E He estimated bringing the building out of disrepair wo=
uld cost a fortune=2E He also put the loss of the historic depot into eco=
nomic perspective=2E =


=22It was a pretty building but this means a lot of jobs and around here =
that=27s something that=27s needed=2C=22 =


Contact J=2E Brian Ewing at jewing=40edendailynews=2Ecom or 623-2155=2E =


 =


=A9 2005 Media General
 =



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

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1081
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=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org