At the Foot of the Mountain

Some Notes on the Cowan Depot

Americans have been noted over the years for their ability and in­clination to move abwt with frequency and speed. During the years of settlement the distance between points of habitation in our country was great indeed. The railroads bound the centers of population together and in fact welded the nation into one with strands of steel.

No matter whether business or pleasure was involved, the people of the past century were on the move (as they are today, albeit by other means). Little wonder then that the railroad depot became one of the great focal points of our mobile society; a place of sweet hellos and sad goodbyes, a promenade for romance and a platform for politics, a stage on which the drama of human life was played.

As it turned out the depot also was the real "reason for being" in the case of many towns and cities; or if not the reason for being, at least the reason for growing. Such was the case at Cowan.

The Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad was born in 1845 with an act of the Tennessee legislature. The first construction took place near Cowan with the building of the Cumberland Mountain tunnel. This particular project was in fact well under way before any rails were laid along the proposed route. By late 1852 the tunnel had been finished and the track gangs had completed the line from Nashville. By December of that year a depot "called and known by the name of the Cowan Depot" had been erected, and on December 9, 1852, an eight-acre tract, including the depot site, was transformed at no cost to the railroad. (1)

Although little is known about this early building it stood for more than 50 years. In 1904 the structure was razed and replaced with a new depot on the same site. (2) Since that time this distinctive piece of architecture has become the familiar trademark of the city of Cowan.

The 1904 construction was laid on a timber pile foundation, and con­sisted of a single-story core with a small attached wing at one end and a two-story tower section at the other. An oriel window with ornate brackets and a pedimented roof was a most unusual feature of the upper floor of the tower. From the second story bay the yardmaster could easily supervise switching operations and the placement of rolling stock. This vantage point placed him "nearly over the mainline track." (3)

The tower has a standing seam metal roof, and originally the entire building was covered in this manner (the single-story sections now have asphalt shingle roofing). A standard operator's bay projected from the track side of the center section of the building.

The exterior wall materials show the millwork variety typical of the period, including horizontal and diagonal tongue and groove "narrow boards," clapboards, and fishtail shingles. This' 'creative use of siding of many shapes and textures ... was a touch of refinement not usually frond in small depots." (4) The building has been returned to its original railroad colors, gold with dark green trim.

During the active life of the two depots, the railroad went through numerous changes. A reorganization after the Civil War resulted in 1873 in a new name for the line, the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad, through some intricate financial maneuvering, acquired a controlling interest in the N. C. & St. L. in 1880. In 1957 the operations of the two roads were merged, and the familiar "Dixie Line" was an entity no more.

With the advent of larger freight cars and bulkier loads the Cum­berland Mountain Tunnel became an obstacle to traffic. To solve this problem the L&N "bored out" the tunnel to a greater width and an in­creased ceiling height. This extensive work did not, however, remove the only obstruction. It was also necessary to reduce the roof overhang of the depot. Thus the ornate brackets and architecturally balanced eaves were cut back in the interest of clearance. The highly decorative oriel was amputated at the same time. This 1960 building alteration allowed the now numerous "piggyback" and "auto rack" cars to pass the building without incident, but the architecture suffered proportionately.

By the early 1970's the L&N had reached the decision that their agency at Cowan should be abandoned. Demolition of the venerable depot structure was to have been a result of these proceedings. The citizens of Cowan, however, dissented. They approached the L&N with a proposal whereby they would take possession of the building and convert it into a railroad museum.

The L&N, after some urging, responded favorably and agreed to the transaction with the stipulation that the structure be moved away from the main line tracks. The Cowan Beautification Commission accepted the challenge, built a new foundation, hired a mover, and transported the building across the mainline to a new site opposite and aboot 50 feet sooth of the original location. Moving day arrived on September 21, 1976, with considerable attendant nervousness on the part of the railroad officials (for the most part concerned about tying up the mainline of a class 1 U. S. railroad with what to them was a less than worthless building). The citizens' effort won the day. In a greater sense the people of the town applied the lessons learned from their heritage. They took action on their own, rather than waiting for "the government" or someone else to do it. Success was their reward. The structure was moved in short order and without a major catastrophe. The fact that the depot is still within close proximity to its original site is worthy of mention.

From the beginning it was necessary to add locomotives to every heavy train which passed in order to lift it over the steep mountain grade. Thus, extra locomotives were (and still are) stationed at Cowan for this service.

These "pusher" locomotives were initially steam engines and represented the heaviest motive power on the line. Later, multiple unit diesels were employed to obtain the necessary additional tractive effort. The pusher operation continues today and can be observed from the depot tower.

A branch line diverges from the main line at Cowan and ascends the mountain to Tracy City. This line, wilt by the Sewanee Mining Company in the 1850's and originally devoted to hauling coal, is laid on a grade was affectionately known as the "Mountain Goat" and was especially dear to the students of the University of the South at Sewanee. Freight operations on this branch continue to this day and are another interesting activity which may be observed from the Cowan tower.

In the words of Dr. Arthur Hill, a Cowan native, "For those who remember, the depot. .. was much more than a place where one bought train tickets to places both near and far; it was ... an institution with functions which touched every aspect of life. Institutions do change (some even disappear) ... It is gratifying to know that the depot will continue to live and even to be loved by the children of today." (5)

The building now contains a valuable display of railroadiana. The at­mosphere is heavy with the aura of the past. Time is reversed for the visitors, as they are turned back to the age of steam and steel. Just as one is convinced that these images of the past are only contrived there is a rumble outside. The earth shakes, the wilding vibrates, and a three unit pusher locomotive strides by with a ponderous roar. It is real! You see it, you feel it, and it's yesterday!

(1) Franklin County Register's Office, Deed Book V, p. 232.

(2) Edison H. Thomas, SCL-L&N, Louisville, Kentucky, to Mrs. J. R. Brock, July 26. 1974 (Letter in possession of Mrs. Brock, Cowan).

(3) Cowan Railroad Depot Historical and Architectural Survey for nomination to the National Register, prepared by Robert E. Dalton, Director of Field Services, Tennessee Historical Commission, Nashville.

(4) Ibid.

(5) Dr. Arthur C. Hill, Anoka, Minnesota, to The Cowan Bell, Cowan, Tennessee, August 12, 1976, pp. 8, 9.

NOTE: The Cowan Railroad Depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in December, 1978. The Cumberland Mountain Tunnel was designated an Historic Place in December, 1977. (Thomas E. Bailey, an engineer with TVA, resides in Fayetteville. A railroad historian, Mr. Bailey has provided invaluable assistance to the Cowan Beautification Commission in establishing the Cowan Railroad Museum. His article, "Storm on Cumberland Mountain: The Story of the Cowan Pusher District," was featured in the Tennessee Historical Quarterly (XXXIV, 1975, pp. 227-248).)

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