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(rshsdepot) Union Hall, Virginia

 
The Franklin &  Pittsylvania Railroad operated between Rocky Mount and
Gretna, Virginia, from  1880 to 1932. Several F&PRR depots remain in
existence. One is located  near the intersection of Old Franklin Turnpike
(VA 40) and Kemp Ford Road  (Route 945), at the center of Union Hall, about
40 miles from Roanoke. There  is an antique shop to the west. Diagonally
across from the depot is the  Whistle Stop convenience store, and beyond
that, the Union Hall post office.  

On Tuesday, October 18, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors  approved a
rezoning request for the Southlake Town Center, a 22-acre shopping  center
to include the parcel where the depot sits. (I've traced the title  back to
the F&PRR's purchase in 1880.) The developer of Southlake Town  Center, Ron
Willard of Willard Construction, claims that the depot is  infested with
termites and not worth saving. So he intends to raze it. Seeing  no sign of
rot from the outside, I have trouble believing the building is  beyond
repair, although I can only guess at the cost. I would like to see  the
Union Hall depot restored, or at least kept standing for the time  being.

The depot appears to be about 30 feet from the shoulder of the  highway
(which is to be widened). I estimate the dimensions of the  original
building to be 50-60 feet wide and 15-25 feet deep. Three of the  walls
appear to be original. An extension has been added to the rear,  almost
doubling the original building's size.

I understand that there  is a sliver of land just to the west, intended to
be a buffer across a  proposed private road. Moving the depot to that
location may be feasible, if  developer Ron Willard will agree to it.
Currently, there is an antique shop  on or near that location; however, I
don't know which parcel it is  on.

Can anyone shed more light on this situation? What can be  done?

I suppose we can form a committee of experts, local residents, and  other
interested parties. Then we can get the building inspected to determine  its
condition and the cost of preservation. Maybe we can persuade Ron  Willard
that preserving a landmark will bring positive publicity that can  endear
him to people who will patronize his shopping center. There is also  the
possibility of applying for historic landmark status.

Is this a  reasonable course of action? What else must be done? Does anyone
have better  ideas?

If you are interested in preservation of this 19th century  landmark, please
respond soon. Now that new construction has been approved, I  don't know how
much time is left to act.

Please forward this notice to  others who may be interested.

- -- Charlie Jordan, 540-721-3232  <_http://www.rev.net/~aloe/railroad#f&prr_ 
(http://www.rev.net/~aloe/railroad#f&prr) >




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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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