Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Downtown’s Crown Is Back Up Top
Renovated cupola again on its perch
by Mike Brown - Editor
Rockdale Reporter - September 10, 2015
Now they know why the original cupola atop the International & Great Northern railroad depot didn’t stay on top for all of the depot’s 109-year history.
A “two week” project to restore the restored cupola became a month-and-half project for local volunteers but it ended on Thursday when the cupola and its base went back atop the depot-museum which has become an iconic symbol of Rockdale.
“I’m sure glad it’s back up there,” volunteer Gary Jackson said after the structure, now boasting much more weather-resistant copper plating, and its base, were hauled to the top of the structure Thursday morning.
The depot opened in 1906 with the cupola atop, but it was eventually removed.
“It took a lot of maintenance then, and the new one is taking a lot of maintenance now,” Jackson said.
Jackson and fellow volunteers John Shoemake, Jack Brooks and Bert Dockall spent about 125 hours working on the structure after it was removed on July 14.
“It just involved a lot more work then we had originally thought,” Jackson said.
It’s not known exactly when the original cupola was removed but the best estimate depot volunteers can make is 1936.
That would mean the original cupola was on top of the depot for 30 years.
The restored version was atop the structure for almost half that time before coming down for maintenance.
The depot is now a historical museum.
*****
.
Photos by Mike Brown - Rockdale Reporter
Renovated cupola again on its perch
by Mike Brown - Editor
Rockdale Reporter - September 10, 2015
Now they know why the original cupola atop the International & Great Northern railroad depot didn’t stay on top for all of the depot’s 109-year history.
A “two week” project to restore the restored cupola became a month-and-half project for local volunteers but it ended on Thursday when the cupola and its base went back atop the depot-museum which has become an iconic symbol of Rockdale.
“I’m sure glad it’s back up there,” volunteer Gary Jackson said after the structure, now boasting much more weather-resistant copper plating, and its base, were hauled to the top of the structure Thursday morning.
The depot opened in 1906 with the cupola atop, but it was eventually removed.
“It took a lot of maintenance then, and the new one is taking a lot of maintenance now,” Jackson said.
Jackson and fellow volunteers John Shoemake, Jack Brooks and Bert Dockall spent about 125 hours working on the structure after it was removed on July 14.
“It just involved a lot more work then we had originally thought,” Jackson said.
It’s not known exactly when the original cupola was removed but the best estimate depot volunteers can make is 1936.
That would mean the original cupola was on top of the depot for 30 years.
The restored version was atop the structure for almost half that time before coming down for maintenance.
The depot is now a historical museum.
*****
.
Photos by Mike Brown - Rockdale Reporter
Crane lifts base of cupola onto depot roof (cupola is at lower right) as a train roars by on adjacent UP tracks.
Above Left: Project provided photo op for onlookers along Milam Avenue by depot-museum.
Above Right: Above, ‘new’ cupola rolled in bright and early on its big day.
Above Right: Above, ‘new’ cupola rolled in bright and early on its big day.
Above left: (L-R) volunteers Rocky Freed, John Shoemake, Gary Jackson direct crane operator.
Above Right: Original restored cupola (shown here in 2004 photo) had faded, needed new boarding and other repairs.
Below: It now has copper plates and the base has been repaintedand spruced up.
Above Right: Original restored cupola (shown here in 2004 photo) had faded, needed new boarding and other repairs.
Below: It now has copper plates and the base has been repaintedand spruced up.
.
All Credit for this article
goes to Mike Brown
and the
Rockdale Reporter
goes to Mike Brown
and the
Rockdale Reporter