Adairsville was home to a major repair facility on Georgia's Western & Atlantic Railway. The depot and the town were the center of life in the Oothcaloga Valley, a wide area that is part of a region geologists refer to as ridge and valley.

Adairsville Depot

When the Western and Atlantic railroad depot was located south of town, Adairsville decided to relocate to the area of the depot. It was a wise move, because the state of Georgia decided to locate a major repair facility there, including a roundhouse. Other facilities in the area included machine shops, and a weapons factory. Plantations were built by a number of wealthy people, most notably Godfrey Barnsley's Woodlands. (today's Barnsley Gardens)

The station played a pivotal role in the Great Locomotive Chase. Just south of the depot Andrews tore up track. The crew pursuing The General had to leave the William R. Smith, an engine they had taken from the switching facility in Kingston. Forced to continue on foot, the pursuers came across The Texas just south of the city.

In the 1990's the city of Adairsville underwent a dramatic revitalization. Places like the 1902 Stock Exchange were completely refurbished, as was the railroad depot. Today the depot is home to the Adairsville Welcome Center, run by the Adairsville-Bartow County CVB and the Adairsville Rail Depot Age of Steam Museum, run by the City of Adairsville. The museum charges no admission and offers group tours (should be booked in advanced when possible). Hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10:30am to 3pm.

The entire old section of Adairsville is on the National Register of Historic Places. The first weekend in October the city celebrates its role in the chase with a festival.
Thank you for listing our facility on your site. Hope this info will help update your information.
Sincerely,
Jerri Holloway
Historian
Adairsville Rail Depot Museum

For more information on the depot and the city, please visit these fine sites:
Roadside Georgia's Adairsville Depot
Cartersville-Bartow County CVB Adairsville page

Location: Downtown Adairsville
Directions: Take I-75 to Exit 306, go west on Highway 140, across US 41, first left to business district.

Additional information:

Date added: November 16, 2003
Last update: September 9, 2006