Cowan Depot

Cowan, Tennessee's Cowan Depot was constructed in 1904 by the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad. The building is a simple wood frame, weatherboarded building with a gabled roof. According to the building's National Register of Historic Places nomination form, the gabled roof once featured ornate bracketing, but was removed in the 1940s or 1950s. The building is painted green and gold to reflect the company colors of the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad. Perhaps the most unique feature of the building is its two story wing on its southern elevation. This wing was designed to allow the yardmaster to oversee the switching operations and placement of the rolling stock from the comfort of his own office. The Cowan Depot was designed to serve passengers on the main line, and serve as a terminus on the spur line from Tracy City to Monteagle. Cowan also served as the headquarters for the "pusher" or "helper" engines. These engines were tasked with assisting trains on the mainline get over Monteagle Mountain on their descent to Chattanooga. As railway service began to decline with the construction of U.S. Route 41A in the 1940s and Interstate 24 in the 1970s, the Cowan Depot was closed. Not long after its closure, the Cowan Beautification group were able to purchase the building from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad for one dollar. The L&N's only stipulation was that the building had to be moved to the other side of the railroad tracks and moved back one hundred feet from said tracks. Once this was carried out, the Cowan Beautification group restored the building and reopened it to the public as a museum. In 1977 the Cowan Depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A and C for its historical and architectural significance.

At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.