Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum, Mississippi
Depot museumHours are not posted online; check the museum's Facebook page before visiting
The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum honors legendary engineer John Luther "Casey" Jones in the town where he lived and worked, inside a depot that served as the railroad's Mississippi division headquarters for nearly 80 years.
- Depot believed built in the 1850s
- Division headquarters 1866 to 1945
- Bell from Casey Jones's train
- Shares the depot with the Lions Club
- Stop on the downtown walking tour
Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; check the museum's Facebook page
- Admission
- Not posted online
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- School-age kids and Casey Jones fans
- Best ages
- Ages 6 and up
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum? 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 Water Valley.
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
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From Civil War depot to Casey Jones's hometown museum
When the railroad reached Water Valley in the late 1850s, the town was a village of about 300 people. The depot, believed to date from that decade, soon found itself in the path of war: during the Mississippi Central Campaign, as General Grant pushed his troops south toward Vicksburg, Confederate soldiers tore up rails and tried to burn a locomotive just behind the building.
After the war Water Valley became a division headquarters, first in a two-story building put up in 1866 where city hall now stands, while the depot was still a one-room freight house. Once the Illinois Central took over the Mississippi Central in the 1870s, the company outgrew that office, and around 1885 the depot was enlarged into a two-story headquarters. It held two waiting rooms, a big freight room, the superintendent's offices and the dispatchers who ran every train on the main line between Canton, Mississippi and Cairo, Illinois. Clerks, stenographers, telegraphers and payroll staff, about 30 people at a time, worked here, and local merchants hung their own signs in the freight room so workers knew where to set their goods.
The building stayed the Mississippi division headquarters until 1945, when the railroad moved it to Jackson, Tennessee. In 1955 the depot was cut back to a small station, and after the railroad abandoned it the city took it over. Today it is home to the Water Valley Lions Club and the Casey Jones Railroad Museum, which honors the Illinois Central engineer who lived and worked in Water Valley for much of his career.
A famous bell and a depot full of stories
The museum's centerpiece is a cracked and battered bell from the train Casey Jones was driving when he died at his post in 1900. Around it, photographs, documents, railroad memorabilia and artifacts trace Jones's life and the history of the Illinois Central in North Mississippi.
The building is part of the exhibit. This is the depot that once dispatched trains from Canton to Cairo, and the walls have seen Civil War soldiers, generations of railroad clerks, and a Ringling Bros. circus stopping beside it in the 1920s. Railroad Park, the town green next door, has hosted cotton trading, World War I send-offs, Watermelon Carnivals and World War II bond drives since the railroad came.
Don’t miss
- Casey Jones's train bellThe cracked, battered bell from the engineer's final run is the reason many visitors make the trip.
- Casey Jones photographs and documentsPapers and pictures that tell the story of the engineer who lived and worked in Water Valley.
- The depot buildingBelieved to date from the 1850s and enlarged around 1885, it served as Illinois Central division headquarters for decades.
- Railroad ParkThe town green beside the tracks has been the heart of Water Valley since the railroad arrived.
A real hero story for school-age kids
The story of an engineer who stayed at his post is a good one to tell children before you go, and seeing the battered bell in person makes it real. The museum welcomes school groups: on a recent October field trip, homeschool families from Oxford and Water Valley came together to learn how the railroad once worked across North Mississippi.
This is a small museum built around artifacts and photographs, so it suits school-age kids more than toddlers. Railroad Park next door gives younger siblings room to stretch their legs.
Plan your visit: tips for Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum
- Message the museum on Facebook to confirm it will be open before a long drive.
- Make it part of an afternoon downtown with shopping and a meal, then walk over to Railroad Street.
- Use the City of Water Valley's self-guided downtown walking tour to see the depot's history in context.
Keeping Casey's story in Water Valley
The museum shares the historic depot with the Water Valley Lions Club, and the City of Water Valley features the building as a stop on its downtown walking tour, researched by Alderman Grant Thompson. To help, visit, bring a group, and follow the museum's Facebook page for news on programs like its school field trips.
Casey Jones country and the Delta
To finish Casey Jones's story, the Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum in Jackson, Tennessee is about 113 miles north. Closer by, the Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum in Cleveland is about 68 miles west, and the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center is about 83 miles east. See our Mississippi train museum guide for the rest.
- Mississippi Delta Railroad history exhibitsCleveland area, MS · about 68 mi
- Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum / historic collectionsMemphis, TN · about 73 mi
- Memphis Area Transit Authority vintage trolley systemMemphis, TN · about 73 mi
- Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center railroad-history exhibitsCorinth, MS · about 83 mi
- Casey Jones Home & Railroad MuseumJackson, TN · about 113 mi
- Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum railroad exhibitsJackson, MS · about 129 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Water Valley's depot once held about 30 railroad workers, the clerks and dispatchers who kept the trains moving. I think of them when I picture Mr. Conductor in our book, in his blue uniform, holding out a hand to help Rally aboard. Kids notice the people who make a train trip feel safe. My mom always did too, and she is the reason Rally's story exists. You can read about her on our story page.
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 Mississippi: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Mississippi
- Halloween train rides in Mississippi
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
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.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley: 20 questions
Where is the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum is at 105 Railroad Street in Water Valley, Mississippi 38965. It is housed in the town's historic railroad depot, which it shares with the Water Valley Lions Club, beside Railroad Park in the downtown historic district.
What are the hours of the Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley, MS?
The museum does not post regular hours online. It shares news and updates on its Facebook page, Water Valley Casey Jones Museum, so check there or send a message before you go. Confirming ahead is especially important if you are driving in from out of town.
How much does the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum cost?
Admission prices are not posted online for the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum. Contact the museum through its Facebook page to ask about admission and any donation suggestions before your visit, and bring a little cash in case a donation box is set out.
What do reviews say about the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
Travel writers describe it as a small museum best enjoyed as part of an afternoon in Water Valley: browse the downtown shops, find a good meal, then head over to Railroad Street. Roadside travel guides single out the bell from Casey Jones's train, the centerpiece of the collection.
Who was Casey Jones?
John Luther "Casey" Jones was an Illinois Central Railroad engineer who became a legend after he died at his post in 1900. He lived and worked in Water Valley for much of his career, which is why the town's depot museum is dedicated to him and his railroad.
Is Casey Jones's bell at the Water Valley museum?
Yes. The cracked and battered bell from the train Casey Jones was driving when he died in 1900 is the centerpiece of the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum. It is the best known object in the collection and the main reason many rail fans make the trip.
What can you see at the Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley?
Along with Casey Jones's bell, the museum displays photographs, documents, railroad memorabilia and artifacts about Jones and the Illinois Central Railroad. The historic depot itself, once the railroad's Mississippi division headquarters, is part of the story, so take a moment to look at the building inside and out.
How old is the Water Valley depot?
The Water Valley depot is believed to have been built in the 1850s. It began as a small one-room freight house and was enlarged around 1885 into a two-story headquarters building, then cut back to a small depot in 1955.
Was Water Valley a railroad headquarters?
Yes. Water Valley was the railroad's Mississippi division headquarters from 1866 to 1945. From around 1885 the depot itself held the superintendent's offices and dispatched every train on the main line between Canton, Mississippi and Cairo, Illinois, with about 30 employees on staff. In 1945 the headquarters moved to Jackson, Tennessee.
What happened at the Water Valley depot during the Civil War?
The depot played a part in the Mississippi Central Campaign, as General Grant moved Union troops south toward Vicksburg. As those troops entered Water Valley, the Confederate army destroyed rails and tried to burn a locomotive just behind the depot.
Is the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum the same as the Casey Jones museum in Jackson, Tennessee?
No. They are separate museums. The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum is in Mississippi, in the depot of the town where Jones lived and worked for much of his career. The Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum is in Jackson, Tennessee, about 113 miles north.
Is the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum good for kids?
It works best for school-age children who can enjoy a true story and a real artifact like Casey Jones's bell. The museum is small and centered on photographs and documents, so toddlers may be ready to go sooner. Railroad Park next door is handy for burning off energy.
Does the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum take field trips?
Yes. On a recent Wednesday in October, homeschool groups from Oxford and Water Valley visited together on a field trip to learn about trains and how the railroad once operated across North Mississippi. Message the museum through Facebook to arrange a class or group visit.
Can you ride a train at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
No train rides are offered at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum. It is a depot museum focused on artifacts, photographs and history. Plan your visit around the exhibits and the historic building rather than a ride, and tell kids the Casey Jones story on the drive in.
Who runs the Casey Jones Railroad Museum in Water Valley?
The museum operates in the historic depot alongside the Water Valley Lions Club, after the City of Water Valley took over the building when the railroad abandoned it. Reach the museum through its Facebook page for questions about visits, groups or donations.
How long should I spend at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
About an hour is enough for the museum itself. Many visitors make it part of a longer Water Valley afternoon, with time downtown for shopping and a meal and a stroll through Railroad Park and the historic district. The city's self-guided walking tour fills in the background.
Is the Casey Jones museum part of the Water Valley walking tour?
Yes. 105 Railroad Street is a stop on the City of Water Valley's self-guided Historic Downtown Walking Tour, researched by Alderman Grant Thompson. The tour's online page for the depot includes historic photos from 1877 through 1945, including depot staff and a 1920s circus scene.
What is Railroad Park in Water Valley?
Railroad Park is the town green beside the tracks and the depot, the center of Water Valley life since the Illinois Central arrived. Over more than 160 years it has hosted cotton trading, World War I send-offs, Watermelon Carnivals, World War II bond drives and community celebrations.
Is there parking at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum?
The museum does not post parking details online. It sits on Railroad Street in compact downtown Water Valley, beside Railroad Park. Ask through the museum's Facebook page if you are bringing a bus or a large group, and ask where to park.
What train museums are near Water Valley, Mississippi?
The Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum in Cleveland is about 68 miles away, the Memphis rail sites about 73 miles, and the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center about 83 miles. The Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum in Jackson, Tennessee, about 113 miles, completes the Casey Jones story.
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