Selma Union Depot

Selma Union Depot, also known as Selma Union Station and Selma–Smithfield, is a train station and museum in Selma, North Carolina, and near the town of Smithfield. Built in 1924, it is currently served by two Amtrak passenger trains, the Palmetto and the Carolinian. It is located at 500 East Railroad Street in the heart of downtown Selma. The Silver Meteor and the Silver Star have their northern split here, but do not stop in Selma.

Selma, NC
General information
Location500 East Railroad Street
Selma, North Carolina
United States
Coordinates35°31′58″N 78°16′48″W
Owned byTown of Selma
Line(s)NCRR Corridor
South End Subdivision
Platforms3 side platforms (2 used)
Tracks3
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Parking20 spaces
AccessibleYes
ArchitectA.M. Griffin (1924)
Barry Rakes (2002)
Other information
StatusUnstaffed; attendant available
Station codeAmtrak: SSM
History
Opened1867[1]
Rebuilt1924, 2002
Passengers
FY 202211,403[2] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Raleigh
toward Charlotte
 Carolinian Wilson
toward New York
Fayetteville
toward Savannah
 Palmetto
     Auto Train does not stop here
     Silver Meteor does not stop here
     Silver Star does not stop here
Former services
Preceding station Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Following station
Smithfield
toward Tampa
 Main Line Micro
toward Richmond
Preceding station Southern Railway Following station
Wilson's Mills
toward North Wilkesboro
 North Wilkesboro – Morehead City Pine Level
toward Morehead City
Selma Union Station
Plaques for the depot's NRHP status and 2002 restoration.
LocationE. Railroad St., Selma, North Carolina
Built19 July 1924 (1924-07-19)
ArchitectGriffin, A.M.
MPSSelma, North Carolina MRA
NRHP reference No.82003482[3]
Added to NRHPJune 24, 1982
Location

History
Mitchener station was the predecessor to the current station

The original station in the area was the Mitchner station, built in 1855 a few blocks from the current station. The building still exists and is believed to be the oldest surviving train station in North Carolina.[4]

A wood-frame structure at the current site was constructed in 1897. The current station was built as its replacement in 1924 by architect A.M. Griffin,[1] for the Atlantic Coast Line and Southern Railroads. The ACL trains were north–south for the company's Everglades and Palmetto.[5] The Southern Railway trains were east–west trains on the North Carolina section of the Carolina Special.[6]

The station was closed in 1971, when Amtrak took over passenger service throughout much of the country. In 1975, the people of the city thwarted the station's demolition, and beginning the year after this reopened the station as a museum devoted to the city's railroad heritage. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 1982.[1] Amtrak service to Selma began on October 31, 1982, when the Palmetto began stopping there.[7]

Layout

The old freight house is located to the west of the station on Railroad Street and South Webb Avenue. A maintenance shed is located to the north. Two tracks exist along the east side of the station, another one exists along the south side, and the fourth is a section of curved track behind the station that connects two of the tracks. Three platforms exist at the station, one of which is along the curved track. A parking space exclusively for the handicapped can be found between the curve and the station house.

  • Historic boarding shelter
    Historic boarding shelter
  • Rear of the station
    Rear of the station
  • Station interior
    Station interior

Routes

References
  1. Thomas A. Greco (August 1980). "Union Station" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places – Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of North Carolina" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. "Selma-Smithfield, NC (SSM)". Great American Stations. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  5. Official Guide of the Railways, January 1951, Atlantic Coast Line section, Table 1
  6. Official Guide of the Railways, January 1951, Southern Railway section, Tables M and 8
  7. Norton, Debbie (November 11, 1982). "Businessbeat". Star-News. Retrieved 2011-07-04.

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