Berea Tourism to host 23rd L&N Day
Jun. 13—Sierra Marling
L&N Day is returning for its 23rd anniversary this Saturday with a variety of vendors, activities, and a car shown — all aimed at celebrating the historic train depot.
According to Tourism's Dani Gift, L&N Day is meant to celebrate the history of the L&N train station, located in Old Town, and the trains that came through Berea. Over 700 people reportedly attended last year's event.
According to Tourism documentation, Cassius Clay offered land to the Rev. John G. Fee if he would bring his family and settle the area. Fee's one-room schoolhouse, established in 1855, eventually became Berea College.
After Fee sold the land, it changed hands a few more times before the Kentucky Central Railroad purchased it in 1887, following a college committee's $3,000 donation, and constructed a small wooden depot. The committee governed community affairs, and their donation allowed them to purchase the right of way for a rail line to come through Berea.
The town of Berea became incorporated in 1890, and in 1891 the Louisville and Nashville (L&N) Railway Company purchased the line through Berea. That was when passengers and freight began to move in and out of the depot.
Businesses, hotels, and homes soon filled what is now the Old Town area.
When the first depot burned, a second depot was built on the opposite side of the tracks. However, it could not accommodate the increasing amount of passengers and freight. The third and final depot building was constructed in 1917 and cost approximately $30,000.
Continuing innovations in transportation and technology caused the L&N to discontinue passenger train service in March 1968, and freight service halted the next year. The depot still stood; it was the only brick station between Lexington and Knoxville. It is now the only brick depot left standing on the line between Cincinnati and Knoxville.
Concerned citizens came together to have its historical significance recognized. The property was placed on the National Registry of Historical Places on April 17, 1975.
The City of Berea purchased the depot from L&N in June of 1975 for $17,000 with plans to restore the depot. A grant from the Kentucky Heritage Commission in 1976 helped begin the restoration. According to tourism, vandalism and lack of funding caused setbacks, but in 1987 the depot was finally able to reopen as the Berea Welcome Center. It then underwent another "extensive" renovation in 2011.
Residents can still hear the active CSX fright line — the one remaining set of tracks in use — and visit the Welcome Center to see what remains of the old depot.
It's this history that Gift says is important to celebrate.
"It brought so much into Berea in terms of crafts and bringing people into the college and really bringing people in to build the town," she said.
Gift said that on Saturday, the Welcome Center will be filled with model trains, which are brought in by people from "all over this part of the country." The back platform will have model train vendors and train memorabilia.
"Now, that's the train side of it. We have a lot of other things going on that day," added Gift.
The front lawn will host a large tent with children's activities, like face painting and train crafts. Yeti Freeze and other food trucks will be attending. Plus, Berea Tourism is partnering with Berea Volunteer Fire and Rescue to host a car show.
Then, at 7 p.m., The Bent Penny Band will be playing 60s and 70s hits at the Chestnut Street Pavilion.
