TUSCUMBIA – This is something that Tuscumbia’s Favorite Son and Benefactor, the late Harvey Robbins would have loved to see come to fruition. It ties the ribbon on more than a decade’s worth of work to bring back to this city some of the glory of it’s past… It is the opening of the Tuscumbia Depot and Roundhouse.
Harvey Robbins
City leaders are inviting everyone to come to the huge two-day celebration that starts this Friday morning, March 23 at 10:00 am.
The Quad-Cities Daily plans to be there taking extensive photos of the event that marks the rebirth of a 130-year-old landmark of historical importance.
Here is the invitation and schedule of events:
Railroad Heritage Day Celebrates Grand Opening of
The Roundhouse at Tuscumbia Depot
“Railroad Heritage Day” will be celebrated with a first-ever event on Saturday, March 23, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Tuscumbia Railway Depot Museum and Roundhouse, 205 West Fifth Street, Tuscumbia.
Special events include the premier showing of the DVD documentary film, “The Civil War in Colbert County, Alabama,” produced by Blue Water Publishing and the Colbert County Historical Landmarks (with a grant from Alabama Department of Tourism). Show times are 10:00 am and 3:00 p.m. The film contains documented dramatizations of events that occurred in our area as a result of the important Memphis and Charleston Railroad Line at the site of the Depot.
Additional festival activities will include Celtic, Folk and Blues music, plus “railroad” songs performed from noon until 2:00 p.m. on the railroad platform by the Cane Creek Cliff Dwellers. Chris Ryan, an award-winning fiddler, will follow at 2:00 pm. in the Roundhouse. This concert will mark the local release of his CD. Ryan includes more than 400 Civil War tunes among his repertoire of period music.
Much more is planned including antique tractor and wagon exhibits, antique steam whistles, Civil War living history encampment, track-laying demonstrations, oral history recordings, authors’ book signings and Depot museum tours. Food vendors will be on hand and downtown merchants’ will provide giveaways and sidewalk sales.
On Friday, March 22, the official Grand Opening of the Roundhouse will be held at 1:00 p.m., with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The public is invited to all events, which are free. Railroad Heritage Day is sponsored by the Memphis and Charleston Railway Historical Society and the City of Tuscumbia to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Roundhouse. In case of rain, outdoor events will move into the Roundhouse.
For more information call 256-389-1357 or 256-383-0783 or visit www.mcrrhs.org for a complete schedule of events.
Tuscumbia station – “Back in the day.”
Railroad Heritage Day
March 23rd, 2013
10am – 5pm
@ Tuscumbia Depot/ Roundhouse
10am —- Whistleman opens the day’s events with the blowing of his steam whistles.
10am —- PREMIERE SHOWING of “The Civil War in Colbert County, AL”
documentary film commemorating 150th sesquicentennial anniversary.
– 1st showing includes Introductions and Thank You’s prior to film start
10am —- ongoing til 5pm:
*GRAND OPENING to public of newly completed Roundhouse and renovated turntable
*Antique tractor & wagon exhibits and Civil War Re-enactors Living History
*Book signings from authors Bluewater Publications
-50% off Railroad Heritage Day Special – “Civil War Tales of the Tennessee Valley”
by William Lindsey Donald
*Art exhibit – Illustrations by Scott Lyndon, living history coordinator for the privately owned
Sweetwater Mansion
*NRHS exhibit – National Railway Historical Society
*M&CRRHS exhibits – Memphis and Charleston Railroad Historical Society
*Oral Histories recordings – Videographer from HistoricalTruth101.com to record memories,
stories, and autobiographies from around our area.
*Tours of Depot
*Children’s Events: scavenger hunts, rides on motor cart at Depot, blowing of steam whistle,
rides on train at Spring Park
*Grandma’s Fried Pies; and C&C Eats and Treats – food vendors
*Tuscumbia merchants sidewalk sales and give-aways/coupons
12pm noon— the music of Cane Creek Cliff Dwellers – goes to 2pm
2pm —- Music of Chris Ryan – fiddler, inside Roundhouse, ends at 3pm
2pm —- Track demo showing how to set rail track, outside, ends by 3pm
3pm —- Second showing of “The Civil War in Colbert County, AL” documentary film
– Civil War presentation by Tim Kent prior to film start
5pm —- Thank you for coming! More Information: www.mcrrhs.org
