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Odum
Depot receives award for rehabilitation
from The Georgia Trust
Abandoned
30 years, railroad depot returns to
community
ATLANTA,
April 19, 2004—The Odum Depot received
an award for Excellence in Rehabilitation
from The Georgia Trust for Historic
Preservation at its annual meeting April
17 in Savannah.
The
community of Odum, like many South Georgia
towns, was built around the once-bustling
railroad that ran through the state.
However, in 1969, one of the town’s most
prominent reminders of its roots, the
turn-of-the-century railroad depot, was
moved to the nearby town of Jesup and
stored at a sewage treatment plant. It
remained there for more than 30 years
until the town donated it back to the City
of Odum in 2002.
The
depot’s original location is now
underneath a highway, so the city decided
to place the structure adjacent to an old
general store on the town square. The team
of Carter Watkins and Associates and REBCO
Construction oversaw the reconstruction of
the depot. Although a new metal roof and
windows were installed, all historic
spaces were retained, and the original
building materials and architectural
details were repaired when possible. In
just a few months, the completely
renovated depot has joined the town square
as a prominent historical landmark within
the community. Odum plans to pursue a
National Register listing for the
structure and has applied for an
additional transportation grant to improve
the surrounding streetscape.
The
rehabilitation was funded by
Transportation Enhancement and Local
Development Fund grants, and by local
donations of labor, materials and $100,000
from the city, its residents and local
businesses.
The
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation,
founded in 1973, is the country’s
largest statewide, nonprofit preservation
organization, with more than 8,000
members. For more than 20 years the Trust
has recognized preservation projects and
individuals in the state who have made
significant contributions to the field of
historic preservation. Awards are
presented on the basis of the
contributions of the person or project to
the community and/or state and on
compliance to the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Excellence
in Rehabilitation awards recognize
projects that make compatible use of a
building through repair, alterations or
additions while preserving features of the
property that convey its historic value.
This year the Trust presented 16
Excellence in Rehabilitation awards.
Committed
to preserving and enhancing Georgia’s
communities and their diverse historic
resources for the education and enjoyment
of all, The Georgia Trust generates
community revitalization by finding buyers
for endangered properties acquired by its
Revolving Fund, provides design assistance
to 46 Georgia Main Street cities and
encourages neighborhood revitalization;
trains Georgia’s teachers to engage
students in 51 Georgia school systems to
discover state and national history
through their local historic resources;
and advocates for funding, tax incentives
and other laws aiding preservation
efforts. The Georgia Trust is a recipient
of the Trustees Award for Organizational
Excellence from the National Trust for
Historic Preservation.
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