It was in the turn of the Century in a once booming industrial town that was carried from the mid-19th century. Cowan, TN had everything from agriculture at the foothill of the Cumberland Plateau to coal from the mines of Tracey City, Coalmont, and Altamont, TN, but the soul center piece of this industrialization of this region was the NC&StL Railroad. In 1904 the NC&StL built a depot to accommodate the demand of whistle stop, and link between this small Cumberland Plateau town, and the rest of the Nation. Over time as the economy started to change, the mining industry slowly started to dry up, factories started to close its door and relocate to other cities and passenger service made a decline due to the railroad competition known as the highway system: (US Highway 41A) ushering a new way for people to travel. As technology advance during that time and other communities begin to grow the railroad hub of Cowan continued to decline further, but the depot stood the test of time. In the 1970s the City of Cowan Beautification Committee was formed, and they purchased the abandon depot from the NC&StL successor, the L&N Railroad to have piece of Cowan history moved and preserved in 76. Today the Depot is the main piece of the Cowan Railroad Museum and although Cowan is still slowly changing in the 21st century. The Depot is another successful story of being saved from an uncertain future.
Link to TL Scott Photo of Cowan in the 1970s with the depot original location: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/607292/
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
