Shelby Collins

This article is taken from the Big Canoe Smoke Signals online publication. The Tate terminal is finally going to get a long overdue restoration so it can be used for community events.  Tate is just a few miles from Big Canoe in Pickens County. It is but one of the many venues available to Big Canoe residents in the mountains north of Atlanta.

For the first time in 62 years the Tate Train Depot opens its doors to the public during Tate Depot Days Saturday, April 16 & Sunday, April 17.  

Built around 1917 by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, the depot has been Tate’s hub for passengers and freight for 90 plus years.

With the help of two Federal Highway Transportation Enhancement (TE) grants the depot will be completely restored and moved across highway 53 to a seven acre plot donated by Emerys Corporation. Pickens County holds title to the depot and will provide initial funds for the restoration that will be repaid with the two grants.

The celebration begins at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 16. The depot will be open till 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. Sunday, April 17 till 4:00pm. Events include, guided tours, architectural drawings showing the completed restoration, photographic history of railroading  in the Marble Valley, a section of the model train layout that will fill one whole room of the restored depot, display and sale of documentary photo prints by Lisa Schnellinger, displays by Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History from Kennesaw, Reinhardt University, Georgia Northeastern Railroad.