Historic Summerville Depot, Georgia
Depot museumGrounds open year-round for outdoor viewing
The Historic Summerville Depot is a 1918 Prairie-style Central of Georgia station in downtown Summerville, saved by the Chattooga County Historical Society and paired with one of the few operating railroad turntables in the country.
- Depot built in 1918
- National Register listing in 1992
- Operating railroad turntable
- Prairie School style building
- Seen in the HBO film Warm Springs
- Home of the county historical society
Historic Summerville Depot at a glance
- Hours
- Grounds open year-round for outdoor viewing; indoor hours not posted
- Admission
- No admission listed for outdoor viewing
- Seasonal events
- Summerville Steam Special arrivals
- Plan for
- About 30 minutes, longer on train days
- Best for
- Rail fans and history lovers passing through Northwest Georgia
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Historic Summerville Depot? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Summerville.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A depot rebuilt after the 1917 fire
Summerville's earlier depot burned on May 4, 1917, and the town's replacement went up the next year. Built in 1918 for the Central of Georgia, it served as a combination passenger and freight depot, a one-story frame building in the Prairie School style with a hipped roof, wide eaves and weatherboard siding over tongue-and-groove wainscoting. It worked as a depot until the 1950s.
In 1988 the Chattooga County Historical Society bought the building to preserve it and make it the society's headquarters. The depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. In 2006 the Georgia Department of Transportation awarded $100,000 in Transportation Enhancement funds toward the site. Today the depot's turntable, across the street, turns locomotives once again for excursion trains from Chattanooga, and the building has appeared on screen in the HBO film Warm Springs and in Ma Ma Flora's Family.
A Prairie-style depot and a working turntable
The depot sits in the heart of downtown beside Dowdy Park, and the grounds are open year-round for outdoor viewing. Look for the wide eaves and hipped roof that mark its Prairie School design, then cross the street to the turntable, which lets locomotives reverse direction. On days when the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's steam excursions arrive from Chattanooga, the depot becomes the end of the line.
Don’t miss
- The turntableOne of the few operating railroad turntables in the United States, used to turn excursion locomotives.
- The 1918 depot buildingIts Prairie School lines and wide eaves set it apart from many small-town Georgia depots.
Watch a locomotive turn around
The best time to bring kids is when an excursion train is in town and the turntable is in use. On other days, Dowdy Park next door makes the depot an easy stop for a picnic and a look at the old building. Indoor hours are not posted online, so plan on an outdoor visit.
Plan your visit: tips for Historic Summerville Depot
- Time your visit with a steam excursion arrival from Chattanooga to see the turntable in action.
- Dowdy Park next door is a good place for a picnic.
- Indoor access is not posted; contact the Chattooga County Historical Society before your trip.
Saved by the county historical society
The Chattooga County Historical Society bought the depot in 1988 to preserve it, and it serves as the society's headquarters. Supporting the society is the best way to help care for the building. Ask the City of Summerville about the society's current contact details and any open days.
Chattanooga's railroad attractions are close
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, which runs the steam trains to Summerville, is about 41 miles north. The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is about 37 miles away, and the Southern Museum in Kennesaw is about 52 miles southeast. See every Georgia train museum for more.
- Lookout Mountain Incline RailwayChattanooga, TN · about 37 mi
- Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal StationChattanooga, TN · about 39 mi
- Scottsboro Railroad Depot MuseumScottsboro, AL · about 41 mi
- Tennessee Valley Railroad MuseumChattanooga, TN · about 41 mi
- Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive HistoryKennesaw, GA · about 52 mi
- Cowan Railroad MuseumCowan, TN · about 60 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Depot platforms like Summerville's remind me how big trains look to someone small. In our book, Rally reaches the train and finds the steps far too tall for his short corgi legs, so Dad scoops him up and gives him a boost. My kids giggle at that page every time. If yours do too, you can color it on our coloring pages.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Georgia: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Georgia
- Halloween train rides in Georgia
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Historic Summerville Depot?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Historic Summerville Depot: 20 questions answered
Where is the Historic Summerville Depot and turntable?
The depot is at 120 East Washington Avenue in downtown Summerville, Georgia, next to Dowdy Park. The turntable is across the street from the depot. Summerville is the county seat of Chattooga County in Northwest Georgia, about 41 miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
When was the Summerville Depot built?
The current depot was built in 1918, after the previous Summerville depot burned on May 4, 1917. It served the Central of Georgia as a combination passenger and freight depot and operated as a depot until the 1950s. It has stood for more than 100 years.
Is the Summerville Depot on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes. The Summerville Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. It is recognized as a good example of an early 1900s combination passenger and freight depot, built in the Prairie School style with a hipped roof and wide eaves.
Does the Summerville turntable still work?
Yes. Summerville is home to one of the few operating railroad turntables in the United States, located across the street from the depot. It allows locomotives to reverse direction, and it is used to turn excursion trains that arrive from Chattanooga.
Can you visit the Historic Summerville Depot year-round?
Yes, for outdoor viewing. The depot is available year-round to view from the outside, along with the turntable across the street. Indoor hours are not posted online, so if you want to go inside, check with the Chattooga County Historical Society or the City of Summerville first.
Is there a fee to see the Summerville Depot?
No admission fee is listed for viewing the depot and turntable from outside. Excursion trains that arrive in Summerville, such as the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's Summerville Steam Special, are ticketed separately through that museum.
What trains come to the Summerville Depot?
The depot is the terminus of a popular excursion train run by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum from Chattanooga. The Summerville Steam Special arrives behind a steam locomotive on select dates, with a layover of about an hour in downtown Summerville before heading back.
What railroad built the Summerville Depot?
The 1918 depot was a passenger stop on the Central of Georgia. The line through Summerville was first served after the Civil War by the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad, which was later merged into the growing Central of Georgia system.
Who owns the Historic Summerville Depot?
The Chattooga County Historical Society bought the depot in 1988 to preserve it as a historic site and to serve as the society's headquarters. Contact details for the society are not posted with the depot listings, so ask the City of Summerville for help reaching it.
What movies were filmed at the Summerville Depot?
The Summerville Depot was featured in the HBO film Warm Springs and in Ma Ma Flora's Family. Its historic Southern look has made it a film location, and fans of those productions sometimes stop by to see it in person.
What architectural style is the Summerville Depot?
The depot is a one-story frame building in the Prairie School style. It has a hipped roof with wide eaves and weatherboard siding above tongue-and-groove exterior wainscoting. Those details helped earn its listing on the National Register.
Is the Summerville Depot good for kids?
It is a quick, easy stop. Kids enjoy seeing the turntable and the old depot, and Dowdy Park is right next door for running around. The best time to bring young train fans is when an excursion train is in town and the turntable is in use.
When can I see the Summerville turntable in action?
The turntable is used when excursion trains from Chattanooga arrive. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's Summerville Steam Special runs on select dates from spring to fall, with the train reaching Summerville around 1 pm. Check that museum's schedule for current dates.
How did the Summerville Depot get restored?
After the Chattooga County Historical Society bought the depot in 1988, the building was preserved as a historic site. In 2006 the Georgia Department of Transportation provided $100,000 in Transportation Enhancement funds toward the site, which helped support its use as a rail destination.
What is Dowdy Park in Summerville?
Dowdy Park is the downtown park right next to the Historic Summerville Depot. It serves as the southern end point for the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's occasional Summerville Steam Specials, making it a natural place to wait for a train or have a picnic.
Can I go inside the Summerville Depot?
Indoor visiting hours are not posted online. The building is the headquarters of the Chattooga County Historical Society, so inside access may depend on the society's schedule or special events. Contact the City of Summerville to ask before making a trip just to go inside.
Is there parking at the Historic Summerville Depot?
Parking details are not posted online. The depot is in the heart of downtown Summerville next to Dowdy Park, so street or downtown parking nearby is likely the easiest option. On excursion train days, expect the area to be busier.
How long should I spend at the Summerville Depot?
On an ordinary day, about 30 minutes is enough to look at the depot and turntable and walk through Dowdy Park. On a train day, plan longer so you can see the excursion arrive, watch the locomotive turn and see it leave again.
Is the Summerville Depot a museum?
It is a historic depot and the headquarters of the Chattooga County Historical Society rather than a full-time museum with posted hours. Visitors mainly come to see the 1918 building, the operating turntable and the excursion trains that arrive from Chattanooga.
What train museums are near Summerville, Georgia?
The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway in Chattanooga is about 37 miles away, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is about 41 miles. The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw is about 52 miles southeast.
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