Western and Atlantic Depot
Why it's listed
Built in 1852, this one-story brick depot in Dalton, Georgia, served the Western and Atlantic Railroad as a combination station for freight and passengers. A shallow hipped roof with deep eaves covers the rectangular building, and paired Italianate brackets sit above brick pilasters that divide the walls into bays. Five elliptically arched loading doors face the tracks and the former loading lot, while the south end keeps its passenger entrance and ticket office. The depot is considered the oldest standing commercial structure in Dalton and the only survivor of the town's original center, laid out around the railroad station. It was also part of the 1862 Locomotive Chase, when a young telegraph operator was dropped off in Dalton to wire ahead to Chattanooga. Few antebellum railroad stations remain in the South, and this one keeps much of its original plan. Cracked brickwork, missing brackets and nearby commercial development have raised concern for its future, and local historical society members have proposed reuse as a community center.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest standing commercial structure in Dalton and the only remnant of the town's original center, tied to the town's founding as a trade center on the railroad. It is also described as a fine mid-nineteenth-century depot, one of few left in Georgia, and it figures in the 1862 Locomotive Chase.
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 78001009, listed April 6, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Depot St., W end of King St., Dalton |
|---|---|
| County | Whitfield County |
| Listed | April 6, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001009 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1852 |
| Architect / builder | Eugene Le Hardy |
| Architectural style | Italianate brackets on a mid-nineteenth-century depot |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair, with cracked brickwork and missing or broken brackets; leased to the L. & N. Railroad, which uses part of the passenger section for employee lockers. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Dalton Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.77222, -84.96744 (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.
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 78001009.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903147
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.