The Museum of Fulton County is hosting a special celebration at the Wauseon Depot on Saturday, May 9 from 11 am to 2 pm to celebrate National Train Day. At this free event, guests will have an opportunity to explore the history of trains in this region with special exhibits, activities, and a fantastic model train display.
National Train Day was started in 2008 to call attention to trains in America. On this special day, guests can visit the depot to learn about the people who worked on and around the railroads in Fulton County. The exhibits in the depot feature a variety of railroad themed artifacts from train depots across Fulton County including tools, signals, lanterns, telegraph machines and more! Originally part of the museum’s “All Aboard” train exhibit, these train displays are now part of a permanent display at the depot. Other exhibit highlights include a telegraph morse code game, a monumental-sized storybook about trains, and a toy train set for toddlers to enjoy.
The Swanton Area Railroad and Model Train Club will also have a spectacular model train display in the depot for this special event. Guests of all ages will love watching the model trains travel around the homes, barns and shops representing a typical Fulton County landscape.
“We’re excited to be joining in the National Train Day celebration again this year,” shared John Swearingen, Jr., director of the Museum of Fulton County. “We hope people will stop by the Wauseon Depot to learn more about the four railroad company lines that ran through the county, and local people involved with the railroad including passengers, depot employees and community members.”
Located at 225 Depot Street in Wauseon, the Wauseon Depot was constructed in 1896 and was known as the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad Depot. The masonry structure resembles other New York Central stations in the east and is listed on the Secretary of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. In 1957 passenger service ended in Wauseon, although Amtrak still passes the depot each day. The city of Wauseon acquired the building in 1972. The depot was restored and has been used by the Fulton County Historical Society since 1975, housing artifacts relevant to the history of the eight railroads that once traversed the county. A restored Baltimore & Ohio caboose is also located on this site and is available for tours.
The National Train Day celebration at the Wauseon Depot on Saturday, May 9 is free and open to the public. The Depot will be open from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for this special event. To explore even more Fulton County history, guests are encouraged to visit the Museum of Fulton County and Legacy Gift Shop located at 8848 State Highway 108, across from the Fulton County Fairgrounds. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m.
To learn more about the Wauseon Depot, memberships, special events, or how to plan a visit to the Museum of Fulton County call 419-337-7922 or visit museumoffultoncounty.org. Additional information is also available on the museum Facebook and Instagram pages.
Make an afternoon of it! Grab lunch/dinner via drive-through and take it to this awesome park and playground in Wauseon.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 