This bench, currently stored in our meeting room (Annex), is from the Bailey Depot. Perhaps some of you recall the railroad Depot before it was torn down in 1974. And, perhaps, your parents may have sit on this very bench waiting for the train to take them to their destination.
The structure of the bench is reasonably sound. It just needs a good cleaning to reveal the patina. Perhaps, after a good cleaning, we may find some initials carved by a child who may have been bored waiting for the train to arrive. Can you imagine their excitement when it finally did?
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So, for those who can't remember, where was the Depot located?
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There are several photographs and maps that show the location of the Depot. But, first let's learn a little about the railroad.
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The town must have been all a buzz with excitement when the DSP&PRR arrived in 1878. This photo shows what appears to the workmen tents, a boxcar on the rails and what we believe to be the Barnett Cabin, currently located adjacent to Bailey Propane.
The track lies adjacent to the river. For reference, the caboose in McGraw Memorial Park lies on the original bed of the track.
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In this early image you can see the Kiowa Lodge, the first school in Bailey built by Joseph Barnett, the Bailey Country Store, and in the lower right corner, the railroad Depot.
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The Depot was a classic design with a broad overhand to provide a little protection from the weather. It does not, however, have the bay window found on so many Depots.
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Once the railroad stopped running in 1937, the Depot quickly secummed to the elements. This photo, c. 1971, clearly illustrates that it could have been saved. However, in just a few years it was to be torn down.
Today, while enjoying a glass of wine at the Aspen Peak Winery, listen carefully and you can almost hear the conversations between the passengers at the depot and the whistle of the approaching train coming down the tracks.
An interesting note: Originally, the stop was known as "Baileys". The government stepped in and degreed that the name could not be in the plural. So, "Bailey" was born. :-)
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