Sammy Williams speaks about train depot's heyday

Sammy Williams remembers the trains fondly. He recalls the whistle blowing, the cars rattling on the tracks and people greeting visitors.

"The noise was there," Williams said. "It didn't bother me."

He spoke to members of the Sammy Williams Center for Active Living at the restored train depot in Hendersonville on Wednesday. The event was a chance for the members to tour the historic building and hear about train history in Henderson County.

Williams said the train was an integral part of life along Seventh Avenue in the early part of the 20th century. The area had a grocery store, shoe store and the Williams' family hardware store, Louis Williams and Sons.

"We had everything here," Williams said. "It was vibrant."

He said he hung around the train depot in his early years and became friends with many of the people who worked on the track. The train was important for the Williams family, because many of the supplies for the business came in by train.

Over time, most businesses stopped shipping by train and the last passenger train came through Hendersonville in 1972. Williams said he has fond memories of the passenger trains.

"The Carolina Special is my favorite," Williams said. "I remember it well."

Gateway to the county

The Apple Valley Model Railroad Club organized the tour and the talk. Williams played key roles in restoring the train depot and getting the senior center built.

"If you are going to have the Sammy Williams Center here, why not have Sammy Williams?" said Bob Barker, the club's president.

Visitor Marie Green said she remembers the trains going through Hendersonville and was glad the club restored the depot.

"It's the first time I've been in it since it was restored," Green said. "It is really nice."

The train is important to the history of Hendersonville, said club member Dan Lang. He said people who spent the summer in the mountains at the turn of the century came on the rail, and all of their supplies moved by train.

"It was the gateway to Henderson County," Lang said.

Restoration

The club decided to restore the depot in the 1990s. The building was abandoned, but many in the community wanted to preserve the depot, given the community's close connection with the train.

Club member John Van Valen has been with the club since the project started. He scrapped paint off the exterior and logged hours into restoring the old building.

"We spent many days down here," Van Valen said. "It's been a lot of work, but enjoyable."

The depot houses a working model train exhibit and community room. Williams said he was glad the club spent the time to restore the old building. He said he would like to see a tourist train or some other passenger train run on the line through Hendersonville again.

"Maybe people will say they miss the train, and it will come back," Williams said.

Barker said there has been some talk of a tourist train from Hendersonville to Brevard or a train from Spartanburg, S.C. to Asheville.

"We are hoping to do it again," Barker said.

He admitted, however, that insurance and other financial considerations make the venture difficult.