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Residents urge Coweta County to save 175-year-old Madras depot from CSX demolition
Summary
Residents and descendants of the Gentry family urged commissioners to preserve the Madras railroad depot, recounting the building's 1851 origins, a National Park Service assessment saying the roof is sound but the southern foundation needs investigation, and calling for county assistance to move the structure to Madras Park.
Several Coweta County residents appealed to the Board of Commissioners to save the small, historic Madras railroad depot, warning the 1851 structure could be lost after the railroad recently bulldozed an adjacent house.
Susan Smith, a lifelong county resident and retired educator, said the depot — built by the Atlanta and West Point Railroad and later housing a post office — was deeded to the county in 2017 with the understanding it would be moved to Madras Park. Smith said the parcel where the depot stands is owned by CSX Railroad and told commissioners she feared the building could suffer the same fate as the adjacent house that was demolished weeks earlier.
"After surviving for 175 years ... it would be a shame to lose such a historic treasure on our watch," Smith said.
Steve Minix, speaking on findings from Michael Miller of the Bureau of Historic Architecture at the U.S. National Park Service, said an on-site evaluation found the structure "appears solid and in relatively good condition," but highlighted uncertainty in the southern foundation, joists and flooring that require further probing. Minix outlined options for the county: leave the depot in place and seek CSX permission to retain it on-site, move the structure to Madras Park, or pursue a phased stabilization and rehabilitation program.
Minix pointed to potential resources to help finance or guide preservation, including the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office, the 3 Rivers Planning Commission, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Newnan Coweta History Center. Anne Marie Gentry Baker, representing the family that deeded the building to the county, described the depot's local significance and urged commissioners to support relocating the structure so its history will be preserved.
The public comment record shows neighbors, descendants and preservation advocates asked the county to use its influence with CSX and to explore phased stabilization, fundraising and a formal relocation to Madras Park. No formal board action on the depot was taken during the meeting; staff and commissioners acknowledged the concern and the historical assessment provided.
