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The historic Texas and Pacific Railway Depot is a two-story brick and terracotta building inspired by the Italian Renaissance. The design of the structure is loosely based on the Villa Medici in Rome. Its twin towers, sculpturally rich entrance loggia, and overall 16th century Italian villa-style detailing make this depot the second finest surviving depot in the state, according to the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation. The structure is one of only four urban depots extant in Louisiana (urban depots are architecturally distinct from the smaller, generic style of depot found in small towns throughout the South).
The Texas and Pacific Railway Depot is the focus of a cooperative rehabilitation project involving the Black Heritage Committee, the Ben D. Johnson Foundation, the City of Natchitoches, and the Cane River National Heritage Area Commission. Upon completion of the multi-phase project, the depot will serve as an African American Heritage Center, and as a hub for tourist transportation in the community. As a heritage center, the depot will be the site of exhibitions and activities that commemorate the experiences of the Cane River region’s African American culture. As a transportation hub, the depot will be the primary location in town for tourists arriving individually or on tour buses to take local transportation. Eventually, trolleys, horse-drawn carriages, and a series of hiking and biking trails will link the depot to national heritage area sites.
The Cane River National Heritage Area Commission is taking the lead in pursuing the funding for this endeavor. The Ben D. Johnson Foundation and the Black Heritage Committee will collaborate on developing the content for the African American Heritage Center. The City of Natchitoches, the current owner of the building, is in the process of expanding the historic district to include the depot and the Catholic cemetery. The staff of Cane River Creole National Historical Park is providing some technical assistance on the project.
Several funding sources have been utilized in the project to date. In 2001, the Cane River National Heritage Area Commission and the City of Natchitoches received a grant for $15,000 from the Great American Station Foundation to complete necessary preliminary surveys that will lay the foundation for obtaining future funding. Later that year, the Commission provided a small amount of money to the Ben D. Johnson Foundation to seal the doors and windows against the elements. In 2002, the Cane River National Heritage Area received a $20,000 emergency stabilization grant from the State of Louisiana to do major stabilization work on the roof of the structure. As part of the Commission’s 2002 granting cycle, an $8,000 grant was awarded to the City of Natchitoches to complete roof stabilization.
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