The Cotton Belt Depot Museum is a museum located in the historic railroad depot in Tyler, Texas, United States.

Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Cotton Belt Depot Museum in 2018
Cotton Belt Depot Museum is located in Texas
Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Cotton Belt Depot Museum is located in the United States
Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Cotton Belt Depot Museum
Cotton Belt Depot Museum (the United States)
Location210 E. Oakwood St.,
Tyler, Texas
Coordinates32°21′15″N 95°17′52″W / 32.35417°N 95.29778°W / 32.35417; -95.29778
TypeModel trains
Railroad memorabilia
WebsiteCotton Belt Depot Museum Tyler Texas
St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt) Passenger Depot
Arealess than one acre
Built1905 (1905)
Built bySt. Louis Southwestern Railway
Architectural stylePrairie School, et.al.
MPSTyler, Texas MPS
NRHP reference No.01000873[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 8, 2001

History

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Tyler, Texas, had been a railroad hub since the Houston and Great Northern first came through the town in 1873.[2] The depot was opened in 1905. The passenger service ceased in April 1956 and it has been used for different purposes until it was donated to the City of Tyler in 1988. In 2003, following a major renovation the space was shared by the Tyler Transit Department and the museum. Tyler Transit occupies the waiting area and the museum occupies what used to be the baggage storage area.[3]

The museum is run by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society Tyler Tap Chapter, which was part of the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society before breaking off to form a separate organization.[4]

Museum

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The model train collection of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Bragg is the bulk of the hands-on exhibit. Other artifacts and memorabilia have been donated by various individuals.[4]

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See also

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Preceding station St. Louis Southwestern Railway Following station
Brownsboro
toward Gatesville
Main Line Big Sandy
toward St. Louis

References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ McCroskey, Vista K. "Tyler Tap Railroad". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  3. ^ Reed, Robert Earl (2009). Tyler. Arcadia Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7385-7178-2.
  4. ^ a b "Cotton Belt Train Museum". Retrieved July 24, 2020.
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