Paris, TX, Arthur Subdivision, MP 583.8

Discussion in 'Depots G-P' started by qaprr, Feb 6, 2002.

  1. qaprr

    qaprr Guest

    Paris, TX depot.

    Street or back entrance side of the depot.

    Photograph dated Spring 1969.

    Edit 3/25/2025: The depot was constructed between 1910 and 1912. Shortly after its opening is just avoided being burned during the great prairie fire event in Paris during 1916.

    The depot combines Prairie and Italianate styles of architecture. The 77 feet tall tower features an Italian style campanili or watch tower. The walls are durable red bricks, with stone sills and lintels.

    The walls are topped with a clay tile hip roof. The roof ends are supported by massive eve brackets. Protruding from the roof are several dormers on each side of the structure.

    The tall tower and upper story dormers, combined with the wide roof eves helped provide cooling shade and increased ventilation. These were important design features during hot Texas summers in the days before central air conditioning.

    View looking northwest.
    MKD
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 4:09 AM
  2. qaprr

    qaprr Guest

    Paris, TX depot.

    Photograph dated Spring 1969.

    Edit 3/25/2024: Note the white sign with black letters noting Santa Fe - Frisco Freight Station.

    After passenger service ended the depot stayed open as the local freight house and offices for the railroads.

    View looking south.
    MKD
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 3:55 AM
  3. qaprr

    qaprr Guest

    Paris, TX depot.

    Photograph dated Spring 1969.

    Edit 3/25/2024: Trackside view of the small yard adjacent to the Paris, TX depot.

    Note the Frisco and Santa Fe locomotives tied up at the depot between runs.

    First photograph image view looking east. Second photograph view looking southeast.
    MKD
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 3:58 AM
  4. geepfifteen

    geepfifteen Guest

    You will be happy to know that the Paris depot is still standing.

    By the time the former Frisco line was sold to the Kiamichi Railroad only two tracks were in the yard in front of the depot. The yard was in such poor shape it was condemned. However, when the Kiamichi got the former ATSF Paris-Farmersville line, they rebuilt the yard. Alas, that line is gone 4 miles south of town all the way to Farmersville.

    But fortunately the depot is being remodeled.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 3:35 AM
  5. RICHCRAB

    RICHCRAB Guest

    Hello Frisco Folks

    Here are some other photographs of the Frisco Depot in Paris, TX.

    Take care,

    Rich

    Ship it on the Frisco!
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 2:23 AM
  6. wfuller

    wfuller Member

    A "penny postcard" illustrating the depot identifies it as "Union Depot".

    The Lamar County Genealogical and Historical Society Web site refers to it as the "Santa Fe Depot". I presume that it was used jointly by at least the Frisco and the Santa Fe.

    Paris, Texas was also served by the Texas and Pacific (T&P) and by the Paris and Mt. Pleasant (P&MP) Railroad. The T&P depot was elsewhere in town.

    I do not know if the P&MP had its own depot property or used the Frisco or the T&P depots.

    The Lamar County Genealogical and Historical Society website is at the following.

    https://www.lamarcountytx.org/lamargen.shtm

    Edit 3/25/2024: Paris, TX was also served by the Texas Midland (TM) Railroad.

    Both the Paris and Mt. Pleasant and the Texas Midland Railroads had their own depots in Paris. The P&MT was sold in 1952 to the Texas Power and Light Company. The line was abandoned in 1956.

    The current Union Station construction began in 1910 and opened in 1912. It replaced an earlier early 1900 vintage wood depot. The depot served the Frisco, the Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe and the Texas Midland passenger trains.

    The TM was sold to the Southern Pacific in 1928. It became part of its Texas and New Orleans (T&NO) subsidiary that operated in the state of Texas. It was the first railroad to end its passenger service to the Paris Union depot.

    Passenger service in Paris peaked during World War II. The depot was an important connection with nearby Camp Maxey. Camp Maxey was primarily an Army training camp and starting in 1943 included a German Prisoner of War (POW) stockade.

    The Santa Fe passenger service ended in Paris in 1954. The Frisco passenger service ended in 1956.

    Note to the left of the steam locomotive the platform newsstand attached to the depot. This is the baggage and freight room end of the depot. The passenger waiting rooms were in the middle and south end of the depot.

    Unfortunately at the time of the image, Texas and other southern states required separate segregated accommodations and waiting rooms for passengers.

    View looking southeast.
    MKD
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 4:24 AM
  7. The renovation has been completed at the Frisco depot in Paris, TX. Looks like brand new.

    Frisco also had a 6 stall round house, a turntable that is now on Texas State Railroad near Rusk, TX and operational, a big coal chute and a freight house operation.

    Anyone have information on any of this?

    Mike Pendleton
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2024 at 10:38 PM
  8. Ownership and operations control was shared with Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe (GC&SF) Railroad and switched every 5 years.

    Mike
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2024 at 10:33 PM
  9. harvey_house

    harvey_house Member

    Paris TX depot.

    Postcard view of the "Union Station, Paris, Texas" depot.

    Edit 3/25/2024: The depot was a joint agency with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) Railway.

    The Santa Fe interest was originally their Texas operating subsidiary the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. At one time, Texas law required that any railroad operating in the state maintain a Texas headquartered operating company.

    View looking southeast.
    MKD
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2024 at 4:17 AM
  10. railroadguy65

    railroadguy65 Member

    Paris, TX depot. :)

    1926 Sanborn Map
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2024 at 10:29 PM
  11. railroadguy65

    railroadguy65 Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 25, 2024 at 10:28 PM
  12. mark

    mark Staff Member Staff Member

    Please see the following links for trackside views of the Paris, TX depot.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2549711776/sizes/l/ (southwest corner)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2549709032/sizes/l/ (southwest corner)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2548872323/sizes/l/ (west side)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2548875215/sizes/l/ (west side)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2549681306/sizes/l/ (northwest corner)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cpshelton/2548862429/sizes/l/ (northwest corner)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevystew/528112269/sizes/o/ (northwest corner)

    Other views include:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8177037@N06/3264866014/sizes/l/in/set-72157613491187885/ (east or street side)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8177037@N06/3264036125/sizes/l/ (north end)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8177037@N06/3264037455/sizes/l/in/set-72157613491187885/ (depot historical marker)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/reweston-sat/423699331/sizes/l/ (northeast corner)

    The depot agent's / operator's bay faces west. Railroad west is to the right (geographic south) in the trackside views.

    The depot address is 200 South 11th Street Southwest. The depot is now home to the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce.

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks!

    Mark
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2010
  13. mark

    mark Staff Member Staff Member

    Located some additional older photographs of the Paris, TX depot. These photographs date from 1973 and 1995. Click on each photograph for a larger view.

    The 1973 photographs include Frisco GP7 locomotives in both the black and yellow and the Mandarin orange and white paint.

    Please see http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/jdavis/railroad/ParisSFF01.htm

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks!

    Mark
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2024 at 10:27 PM

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