Union Sation Mural - Albany, GA - Murals on Waymarking.com

This mural is next to the Thronateeska Heritage Center, Union Station History Museum. Union Station is located at the end of W Roosevelt Ave, east of Washington St in Albany, GA.

By the end of the 19th century a new passenger terminal was needed. Completed in 1913, the new Albany Passenger Terminal, sometimes called Union Passenger Station or Union Depot, had two distinguishing characteristics. First, it was built of brick in the Prairie Style of architecture popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. Second, its mirror-image interior reflected the segregation or "Jim Crow" laws legitimized by the U.S. Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. A terra cotta "Spanish Tile" roof completed the structure. The brick street paving was fished after the station opened and is the only section of original brick street paving remaining in Albany.

In 1912 the Southern Express Company completed a new depot adjacent to the passenger depot to handle increased express shipping business. Southern Express Company was an express shipping company and may be compared to today's express package delivery companies. It ultimately became part of Railway Express Agency (or REA), which continued to operate into the early 1970's. The building's architecture is in the Spanish Mission style, one of the many popular revival styles of the early part of the 20th century.

Early on the morning of February 10, 1940 a tornado ripped through downtown Albany demolishing a large section of the business district and damaging the REA building, the Union Passenger Station, and the roof of the Tift Warehouse. Because of the importance of these buildings, and in an effort to get them operational as soon as possible, original architectural features were lost as the destroyed terra cotta roof of the passenger station was hurriedly replaced with flat cementaceous shingles and the wood shingle roof of the "Tift Warehouse" was replaced with tin.

Thronateeska Heritage Center and Heritage Plaza

Thronateeska Heritage Foundation was originally housed in the historic Smith House on Flint Avenue, but in January, 1976, the abandoned passenger station became its new home as Thronateeska Heritage Center. The depot had been empty since train service ended on May 1, 1971, but the museum soon opened in the south gallery and on the covered platform. A major renovation of the structure was undertaken in 1997-1998.

Following a formal request by Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, the 100 block of West Roosevelt Avenue was officially designated as the Heritage Plaza by a unanimous vote of the Albany City Commission on May 23, 1978. In January, 1979, the Tift Warehouse, the REA building and the former railroad roundhouse property were purchased. The Wetherbee Planetarium was established in part of the REA building in late 1980. The Science Discovery Center was established in the other part of the REA building in early 1994.

Other structures at Thronateeska Heritage Center include the Hilsman Kitchen, the only surviving portion of a popular 19th century Albany physician's home. It was one of the first structural artifacts moved to Heritage Plaza, arriving in 1977 from its location behind the Hilsman home at 206 North Jefferson Street. Originally placed adjacent to the REA building, it is now inside the new Wetherbee Planetarium and Science Museum. The Fryer-Merritt house was moved to Heritage Plaza from 411 Pine Avenue in 1994. It was renovated with the support of Security Bank and many other companies and individuals. Administrative offices were relocated to this building in the summer of 1997.

Source: Brochure from the Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc

History Museum Hours
Thursday through Saturday
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Admission is free to the public

The mural is outdoor and accessible at any time.

City: Albay, GA Location Name: Union Station Media: painted cinder block wall Relevant Web Site: [Web Link] Artist: Not listed Date: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and description of your visit. One original photo of the mural must also be submitted. GPSr photo NOT required.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   05/15/2010 Lat34North visited it