By Olivia Wilson / Oglethorpe Echo
Granite-block walls, a kitchen, bathrooms, open community room and electrical work. The Historic Crawford Depot has undergone a transformation in recent years, and it’s not done yet.
“All I really wanted in the beginning was a working kitchen and some bathrooms, but it kind of exploded and we got a lot done,” Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce tourism and hospitality director Linda Parish said.
The Depot, which was built in 1848 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January 1977, is near the center of downtown Crawford. Originally named the Lexington Station, this granite-built depot served the Athens branch of the Georgia Railroad, but also was a shipment and supply facility for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Parish began applying for grants in 2007 to refurbish the depot from its years of wear and tear that included concerts, meetings and festivals.
Parish said once renovations had started, underlying construction problems were discovered. These problems required more intensive renovation than anticipated.
“I spent 15 years trying to get money and get it and get grants and renovate it, and so it means a lot to me,” Parish said.
Parish, who has been an interior designer for more than 40 years, said she worked closely with the architect and made design choices for the inside of the depot, including the dark paneling and light fixtures.
The progress is far from done.
Parish, in a written document, said a plan is in the works “for funding other needs, such as soffit repair, painting and staining of some windows and doors, and other minor repair work.”
However, grants aren’t what fully funds the depot.
“The primary thing for maintenance is … a Labor Day Restoration Run, which is part of the Firefly Series, a race series, and it follows the old Georgia Railroad bed from Union Point to Athens,” Parish said.
Now, the Depot has multiple uses, such as meetings, family reunions and parties. About 100 people attended the candidate forum there last April.
“It means a lot to the county,” Parish said. “People come all the time and they’re like wanting to rent it or something and say ‘I went to my prom there’ or ‘my family reunions used to be here.’ We’ve had a lot of events there over the years, and I think people really enjoy coming and seeing what we’ve done to it.”