Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Depot - Fayette County Courthouse Square Historic District - La Grange, TX - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

This depot was constructed according to standardized plans utilized by the railroad. Located parallel to the tracks, the building reflects the influence of the Stick style with its decorative use of both horizontal and vertical boards, as well as a herring-bone pattern in the gable areas with a louvered window. The base of the building is composed of vertical boards with paneled areas of varying size and painted in a contrasting color. The southwestern elevation features canted walls at the gabled end and a tripartite arrangement of windows with the sign announcing the passenger's destination point. All windows are original and feature wooden, double-hung 6/6 windows arranged both singly and in groups. The gabled roof has wide overhanging eaves supported by a multitude of graceful stick brackets. The elevation facing the tracks features a projecting bay window. The rear of the depot served for the storage of luggage and retains all of its original features including the cargo doors.

The building retains much of its original furnishings and all of its interior beaded board paneling as well as its five panel doors. Interior window moldings feature a bull's eye pattern. Originally heated by two chimneys, these were late replaced with pot-bellied stoves during the historic period. The segregated configuration of the interior floor plan is still apparent.

In March of 1911, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke briefly at the depot after the City Council passed an ordinance making it illegal for a president to pass through town on a train without stopping (President Roosevelt was informed of the ordinance). In 1939, the cost of a ticket from nearby Fayetteville to Houston was $2.55. The depot continued to serve the community until after World War II when passenger service ceased. Since that time, the building has been used by various businesses since its closure including a florist shop, art gallery and video shop. The La Grange Chamber of Commerce purchased the building in 1981 and restored the old depot including repainting it to its original colors and repairing the slate tile roof. The Chamber of Commerce moved to the Old Jail building in 1991, but continued to lease the building to area merchants. In 1999, the Friends of the Depot purchased the building and Department of Transportation T-21 funds were secured to restore the building for use as a railroad museum