Southern Railway Depot

Trains first arrived at Mt. Jackson in 1859 when the Manassas Gap Railroad completed construction of a new line that terminated in the town. Though the railroad intended to extend the route to Harrisonburg, money had run short. Anyone wishing to finish their journey to that city would have to disembark and board a carriage for the remainder of their trip.

The position of the railroad terminus would affect Mt. Jackson during the Civil War. The Confederate Army established a hospital here in 1861 since it was easy to transport soldiers here via that railroad. Eventually this would become a major medical center that treated thousands of patients from both sides.

In 1871 the railroad was completed through to Harrisonburg and Mt. Jackson became just another stop along the route. Seven years later they established a telegraph office in the town.

A new depot would be completed in 1890 and was expanded in 1913. It served a town that exported thousands of carloads of apples, livestock, and grain each year.

Even though the service remained brisk, the passenger portion of the depot was dismantled in 1951. The remainder of the station was demolished in the 1970s. The freight service had ended a year earlier.

Today, the Mt. Jackson Town Hall stands on the site of the former deport. It was designed to recreate the characteristics of the old depot. The train no long runs through the town.

Images

Map