Depot Turns 100: City Will Give Away 2,000 Wooden Nickels Saturday
SPRING MARKET 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
Historical Society Meeting: 2 p.m. Sunday. The program will be about the 3 railroads in our county’s history.
Food, fun, live entertainment, birthday cake,
tons of vendors, and the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Train are just a few items on the agenda for Summerville’s Spring Market at The Depot. The Summerville Depot is located at 119 East Washington Street in downtown Summerville. A special 100th anniversary birthday celebration will be held during the event in honor of the Historic Summerville Depot. More than 50 specialty, retail, craft, and food vendors from Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama will be on hand, as well as a Kids Zone with inflatables and bungee jump. Market hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and admission is free.
A highlight of the day will be the 100th anniversary celebration for the Depot. The original Summerville Depot was constructed in 1889 and served the Chattanooga, Rome, and Columbus Railroad that was built to Lyerly, Summerville, and Trion. The railroad was merged into the Central of Georgia system in 1901. However, the depot burned on two occasions. The current depot was constructed in 1918 and was a fully operating depot until the 50’s.
The Summerville Depot was preserved as a historic site and was placed on the National Historic Register of Historical Places in 1992. It currently serves as headquarters for the Chattooga County Historical Society and plays host to monthly Summerville Main Street events, as the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum steam excursion trains arrive from Chattanooga. The depot has also been featured in several television movies and is a favorite spot for tourists and locals alike to photograph train arrivals and the operating Summerville Railroad Turntable.
Summerville Main Street, along with the Chattooga County Historical Society will host a special ceremony to honor the 100-year anniversary inside the Depot Freight Room at 12:30 p.m. Following the ceremony, birthday cake will be served to event goers while supplies last. Commemorative wooden nickels will be given out free of charge beginning at 10 a.m. to the first 2,000 attendees.
Vendors for this event include, but are not limited to the following: Apple Jack with Fresh Produce & Fried Pies, GaGa’s Boutique, Jeff Mosier’s Holy Smokes BBQ, Sawdust & Sass, Magnabilities, Sweet P’s, Randy Rolan Woodworks, The Brass Pineapple, Beads & Bangles, Ronnie Beard Roasted Corn & Fresh Lemonade, Charlie’s Snack Time Treats, Robinson Penworks, Shannon Alters J.R. Watkins Products, Plunder Jewerly, Tony Hughes Up-N-Smoke BBQ, Angie’s Sentsational Wax & More, CT Clark Art Studios, The Blue Willow Fudge & Gifts, Raven Avans Concessions Hand Dipped Corn Dogs & More, Menlo Girl Scout Troop, Boho Roots, Helen Farley Hand Sewn Items, Americana Coasters, Simms MTN Studio Pottery, Foot Of The Cross Scroll Saw Art, MaMa Rita’s Italian Ice and Pork Skins, Handmade Jewelry For Less By Marie Hanna, Mustard Seed Creations, Pretty Wear By Sher, N.W. Georgia Cancer Coalition, Max’s Dandies Paper Crafts, Designs By Kimberly, Soy Sisters, Bell’s Gator Shack, Shonda’s Edible Delights Gourmet Popcorn, Raven Avans Rustic Creations, LuLa Roe By Holly Dodd, Garden Chick, Tupperware By Jami Pless, Cara’s Jewelry Box, Sheryl’s Cakes & Catering, T&T Sweet Treats, Triple “R” Jewelry & Balloons by Jazzy, Seo’s Martial Arts, Rucker Family Amusement, Debra Brumby, and more.
Special entertainment is scheduled throughout the day’s event. The talented Bradley Boys and Watkins Family Bluegrass Band will perform from 11 a.m. to noon. Guaranteed to captivate any audience, this local bluegrass group has been booked to perform in Gatlinburg during the summer of 2018. Fans of clogging will enjoy a street dance performance by the Southern Style Sweetheart Cloggers from 12:45 to 1:15 p.m. For train enthusiasts, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Train is scheduled to arrive at the depot between 12:30 and 1 p.m. The Summerville Turntable will be turning the majestic steam engine following the arrival of the train. Martial Arts demonstrations will be given by Seo’s Martial Arts students and staff at 10:45 a.m. and at 2 p.m. Miniature train rides will be boarding at the depot, offering rides to the young and young at heart throughout the day. For more information on this event contact Summerville Main Street at 706-859-0900 ext. 1337.