Cave Spring Railroad Station
Also known as: Southern Railroad Depot
Why it's listed
This small railroad depot on Alabama Street in Cave Spring was built in the late 19th century for the Georgia & Alabama Railroad Company, replacing an earlier depot. It is a one-story, L-shaped building of wood-frame construction on brick piers, covered in weatherboard. Wide overhanging eaves with stick-like brackets, decorative shingles and stickwork in the gable, a bay window and a loading platform give it a Victorian-eclectic character. Inside, waiting rooms and ticket offices occupy the north half, and baggage and freight handling the south half. It was listed for both architecture and transportation. It represents small-town railroad design of its era and is the only surviving railroad structure in the surrounding multiple-resource area. The railroad helped local schools and academies grow, opened Cave Spring to visitors as a small resort and health spa, and contributed to the town's development. The local historical society bought the vacant depot to convert it into a community center, and a new roof has been added.
Significance in brief: The depot is significant architecturally as a representative example of late-19th-century small-town railroad architecture. It is also significant for transportation, as the only surviving structure representing the railroad in the multiple-resource area. The railroad aided local schools and academies, made Cave Spring accessible as a resort and health spa, and contributed to the city's development.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80001034, listed June 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Alabama St., Cave Spring |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| Listed | June 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001034 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Victorian-eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant at the time of the survey, in fair condition. The Cave Spring Historical Society had purchased it to renovate as a community center, and a new roof had been added. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 34.10777, -85.34229 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80001034.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.