The Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum is located at the heart of downtown Stevenson, Alabama, situated between the tracks of two major railroads. Its mission is to preserve an important part of railroading history through the display of related artifacts. In addition, the museum, which also chronicles modern times, displays hundreds of artifacts from other parts of the area's past to teach young and old alike, including artifacts recalling Native American culture, pioneer life and Civil War events. The largest of these artifacts is the historic depot building itself. The depot, which was built in 1872 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, stands on the ruins of Stevenson's first railroad depot, which was built around 1852 for common use by the Nashville & Chattanooga and the Memphis & Charleston Railroads. That original depot was destroyed either during, or shortly after, the Civil War. Bricks salvaged may have been used in the building of the present structure.
Thoughts of the Civil War flow easily at Fort Harker in Stevenson.  Stand on the east bank of the fort and look down toward the creek and sense for a moment what Union sentries felt as they watched for Confederate soldiers.  Look toward the Tennessee mountains where refugees from the war fled to the safety of Union camps in Stevenson.  Turn toward the Stevenson Railroad Depot and imagine General U. S. Grant there in his private train plotting strategy for his Stevenson invasion. Think of the 76,000 Union troops who marched through the Stevenson area on their way to Chattanooga and feel their apprehension as they moved toward an uncertain fate.  All these thoughts and more come to life at Fort Harker, one of Alabama’s best-kept historical secrets.

For more information visit http://stevensondepotmuseum.com/depot.html