The Rock Island depot at Perry on July 7, 2018. Unfortunately in the days before this photo was taken, it appears someone stole the depot sign that featured the final “The Rock” logo that had adorned this side of the depot for 43 years. Photo by Micheal Hibblen.
After a year of talks, including what seemed like a never-ending stream of new concerns being raised by different entities, it appears an effort to move and preserve the 100-year-old Rock Island Railroad depot in Perry, Arkansas is on the verge of happening. There are still a few things that will need to be finalized, but it appears we have overcome the biggest hurdle, which has been having enough insurance coverage to allay the liability concerns of the depot’s current owner.
A big thank you goes to the many people who have made donations to our project. At this point we’ve raised $5,230 through our online Go Fund Me account. We have also received checks totaling $2,601 at last report from the treasurer of the Perry County Historical & Genealogical Society. As I explain if you click on the link below, we’ll still need to raise more money after the depot is moved, but this gives us enough to pay for the insurance and make the first installment to the house-moving company.
We plan to move the depot about 150 feet to an adjacent piece of land owned by the city of Perry, which will keep it along railroad tracks and make it more likely to be eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The goal is to turn the building into a museum to tell the history of the community, and the Rock Island’s connection to it. READ MORE.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
