Garner Revitalization Association
As a small agricultural community in the shadows of the state capitol of Raleigh, North Carolina, Garner has always struggled to create and maintain its own identity. For over half a century, the Garner Depot was the most iconic structure in the town and served as a centerpiece of the community, both literally and figuratively.
The depot and railroad allowed the people of Garner to travel to Raleigh, Goldsboro and points beyond. It also facilitated the development of a diversified commercial base beyond its agrarian roots. As the town's dependence on the railroad decreased, the depot became less of a centerpiece of the town and the center of town began to shift.
Garner had begun to grow to the south and soon shopping, commercial development and eventually the Town Hall followed. The construction of a four-lane highway through the middle of town in the 1950s, just south of Main Street and the depot, severed Garner's downtown district from the rest of the growing town. That highway became not only a physical separation, but a psychological separation of the "old" part of town from the "new." The depot was one of many structures representing the heritage of the town that became ignored or forgotten. The depot was badly damaged by a hurricane and was later moved away from the railroad tracks. Out of sight and out of the minds of a town growing in another direction.
In the 1980s, a group of dedicated citizens raised funds to move the depot back to its original location along the railroad. They meticulously restored the structure, even using lumber from a neighboring depot that was being torn down. That same group of citizens made plans for a history museum to be housed in the depot and began collecting the artifacts, photos and stories that represented the evolution of the Town of Garner. Over the years, volunteers moved on to other projects. Funding became more challenging to find and a newer generation of Garner citizens were not actively engaged in the project.
Years later there is still no museum and the depot structure sits locked, sandwiched between an active railroad and a busy state highway. In 2009, Garner was accepted into the North Carolina Main Street Program and immediately identified the depot as one of its top priorities. The Main Street program has worked closely with the town to develop a plan for using the depot as a multi-purpose facility that would share the history of the town in a format that can be appreciated by today's citizens while also featuring the arts and cultural resources of the area. To make this plan a reality, the depot structure needs to be moved across a busy road to a quiet park with a view of its original location. There it can safely be accessed and open to the public. When this is done, the Garner Depot will again be a centerpiece of the community and this place will matter to a new generation.
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