HAMILTON, Ohio — The second part of the railroad station in Hamilton, Ohio, made its move today (Tuesday, Jan. 17), with the one-story portion of the structure making the 1,100-foot trip down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to join the two-story building moved in December [see “News photos: Hamilton, Ohio, station on the move,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 20, 2022]. The relocated structure will be restored to “white box” condition — ready for modification for use as a restaurant or some other business, although its exact use has not yet been determined. CSX Transportation donated the structure, which dates to the 1850s, to the city, but required its move off railroad property. It is now on a city-owned lot.
This is a great effort for historic preservation. CSX offered to donate the depot at Deshler many years ago but the funds to relocate it could not be raised. Hamilton has a happier ending.
That’s a great looking building well worth saving. It will be a suitable home for various businesses, such as restaurant, small offices or specialty stores, or a combination of those. It’s probably no more expensive than building new and with much more character.