Friday, August 13, 2010

All That's Left of the Sherwood Train Depot!

Tualatin Fire and Rescue had a new concrete saw they were anxious to try out, and so they helped saw the window out of the train depot wall. 1978 photo by Clyde List

Sherwood Train Depot in its glory days, circa 1925.

Sherwood Historical Society Secretary Clyde List ripped this ticket window out of the circa 1895 Sherwood Train Depot just minutes before the building was bull dozed to the ground in 1978. The artifact spent another quarter century in Clyde's garage. Now the window is at Morback House waiting for visitors. President June says it would make an excellent puppet theater.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can you dig out some of those old photos for us to see as well???
John Brown

Clyde Ray List said...

Oh my! The things that go through my head when I remember the Sherwood Train Depot being bulldozed! Ooooooooh! Better slow down Clyde! Take a deep breath here! Slo-o-o-o-w down!

Clyde Ray List said...

I took a series of photographs of the (shall we say) "event." What I remember most was that, while the bulldozer bore down, the foundation of the depot rose unevenly. The middle rose high in the air while the beginning and end stubbornly remained in the ground. I snapped a photograph of this curious phenomenon. I snapped many photographs until the entire structure surrendered and became a worthless pile of old boards.

Clyde Ray List said...

I would have those photographs for you today, my Facebook friends. Except that, alas, a reporter from the Tigard/Tualatin Times was also there. "Oh!" he said, "May I have that role of film?" We'll publish it in the newspaper and make sure you get all the credit.

Clyde Ray List said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Lilly Morgen said...

Now this is interesting. We have the whole story right here. I think there could be a song about how the foundation of the Depot "wouldn't give in to this kind of "progress."
(It would not be Progressive enough.)

Anonymous said...

That would be really interesting to see those pictures.

Anonymous said...

Why are you moving the train station?

Anonymous said...

Why is the window so special?

Anonymous said...

How old is the window?

Anonymous said...

How come you guys cut out the window?

Anonymous said...

why did you cut the train out?

Clyde Ray List said...

Why did I try to save the train depot?

I tried to save the train depot because I do not believe in ghosts.

Clyde said...

If I believed in ghosts, I would probably go and visit with them. Or maybe not. Ghosts are creepy.

The next best thing to do is to go look at the things the ghosts made when they were still alive. That's what I did.

Instead of sitting in the cemetery all night waiting for a ghost, I tried to save the train depot instead.

Clyde said...

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, It's important to save as much as we can. You never know what you might learn from old stuff. (When you go to History Camp, you learn to call those old things "artifacts.")

Clyde said...

How old is the window? I can not decide on a date. I know that the first depot burned down in 1895. I also know that the window frame was nailed together with hand made nails-- the kind only a blacksmith makes. So it's pretty old.

Clyde said...

The guy you see in the photograph was from Tualatin Fire and Rescue. They came running when I begged someone to come and help.

Lilly Morgen said...

I am so glad that you were there before they bulldozed down the old depot and I am so sorry for all the young people today that don't get to see the old depot, the old trains, or the old schools. With a little money, determination, and creativity, Old Town Sherwood could have been a showcase for visitors and historians.

Anonymous said...

How did you find the bones?How old do you think the bones are?

Anonymous said...

how old is the beaver Time Traveler is fighting?

Anonymous said...

did you think it was fun to make a new a new depot?

Anonymous said...

could any one that bought a tickit stillbe alive

Anonymous said...

i think the train station is a pretty cool station

Clyde said...

Q: how old is the beaver Time Traveler is fighting? A: Ask Mrs. Reynolds.

Q: Did you think it was fun to make a new a new depot? A: Yes.

Q: Could any one that bought a ticket still be alive. A: Hmmm. Possibly. I don't know anyone still alive.

Q: I think the train station is a pretty cool station. A: I think so too.

Lilly Morgen said...

A certain Mr. Neibergall at the High School has toyed with the idea of building a replica of the train station. I think that would be a great idea. Some one could learn building and others could learn about history.

Clyde Ray List said...

The reason the Southern Pacific Railway Company wanted the depot torn down was that it was too close to the track. If trains ever pass by there again (an important question in itself), they will be moving faster than trains used to do. Therefore, accidents will be more likely. That was the reason I was given for tearing it down.

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