Mystic Depot Celebrates 30 Years

Carol W. Kimball

Mystic Depot rennovation
Mystic Railroad Station

Kim11-011

Scrapbook

8: Communication Artifact

Documentary Artifact

The Day

New London, CT

12/11/2006

Carol W. Kimball

The Mystic Depot, built in 1905, sat deserted, shabby and damaged by the 1938 hurricane. It was hard to believe that this station had been chosen by Lionel as a model for their popular electric train sets. Even its ownership was in doubt, buried in a mass of red tape that included Amtrak, Penn Central and Con Rail. But in 1976 a few local citizens, including Dorothea Macbeth and others, saw it as an asset worth saving. At the behest of state Rep. Rufus Allyn, then U.S. Rep. Chris Dodd offered to contact railroad officials for grant monies. In 1977 Bob Valenti of the Chamber of Commerce announced a committee to form plans for renovation. Louis B. Palmer, a railroad buff, offered to lend a helping hand and Stephen Lee agreed to evaluate the structure. The group incorporated under the name of Mystic Depot Inc. and Rocco Celtruda presented a plan to seek funds from Amtrak and local contributions. Amtrak promised $40,000 and the local campaign for $30,000.00 began July 2nd. With the Robert Ayer Engineered Building Inc. in charge, ground was broken Sept. 2nd. Louis Palmer was elected president of Mystic Depot in Jan. 1978. Additional funds were received, including a state grant for $15,000.00. The finished station with a newly paved parking lot was no longer an eyesore and was ready to serve the public at its June 28, 2001 opening. The history carefully preserved in a scrap book kept by Brian Rogers.

Macbeth, Dorothea (Dot)
Allyn, Rufus (Rep.)
Dodd, Chris (Rep)
Valenti, Bob
Palmer, Louis B.
Lee, Stephen
Stuart, Peter (attorney)
Rogers, Brian
Palmer, Billie

Mystic Train Depot
Lionel Train Model
Rocco Celtruda
Robert Ayer Engineered Building Inc.
Mystic Chamber of Commerce
Brian Rogers scrap book, or scrapbook