Demolition of one historic period reconstruction building took place today on the Huntsville Depot grounds. Heavy equipment finished knocking down the structure as I arrived leaving a pile of rubble to be loaded up and hauled off to the dump.
This is one of two clapboard buildings constructed on the museum grounds when renovation was taking place 50 years ago. The two buildings have served numerous purposes over the years including public displays and privately owned shops including antiques and hobbies. The remaining building is modeled to appear as though an old Huntsville restaurant is housed there.
The roundhouse seen in the background is also a reconstruction but also specific to the Depot. The original roundhouse and shops, however was much larger, nearly three quarters around, and was located across Cleveland Ave. where the loading docks are for the current city bus station.
It is not known at this moment whether the remaining structure will also be demolished in coming days, or what new displays or structures are in the works for the newly empty space.
©2023 – Jim Casey
