05/22/2026
All aboard for a journey through Boyle County history! 🚂🇺🇸
The Danville Union Depot once welcomed travelers from near and far. As we celebrate America250 and Historic Preservation Month, we’re proud to spotlight the places that helped shape our community. 📖✨
A special thank you to Boyle County Public Library for their hard work and continued partnership with Boyle County America 250! 🫶
Celebrate America250 and Boyle County with us as we delve into our community's past. May is , so join us as we explore buildings that no longer stand and some that still have a chance!
Danville Union Depot - 1908
The Union Depot in Danville is a symbol of the region’s importance on a once vast system of passenger and freight rail. The depot was opened in 1908 to replace an earlier wooden depot. Featuring wide overhanging eaves, Ludowici clay tile roof shingles, curved masonry walls, and massive cut stone foundations, the station was built to last. The depot was intended as a symbol of the economic might of Danville as a railroad hub. An example of Danville’s freight output can be seen in the nearby warehouses of Cogar and Davis that once handled five million pounds of h**p annually. The depot is the center of a larger landscape that displays the importance of rail in the early 20th century. While the depot still stands firm, it does show signs of its age and deterioration that reflect the decline of passenger rail in the second half of the 20th century. The main threats to the structure today are its proximity to the active railroad it once served and the slow deterioration of the structure which raises the cost of restoration.
(Postcard image courtesy of Centre College Library Special Collections and Archives)
