Railroad Museum Will Add Replica Storage Shed
The new building will look similar to this when finished.
Staff Report
WATER VALLEY – The Casey Jones Railroad Museum is adding a replica of an Illinois Central handcar storage shed to its exhibits.
The 16 by 20 foot building will be erected on the parking lot east of the main museum, according to Ernie Aune of the Lions Club Museum Committee.
The shed will be finished to look very much like the small building that once stood next to the tracks downtown in Railroad Park.
The addition will not only add another exhibit, but will also serve as storage for both the museum and the Lions Club, Aune said. Having the space will free the refrigerator car, which is currently being used for storage, as an additional exhibit area.
Some money has already been raised for the building’s construction. But, additional funds are needed. Anyone wishing to contribute is urged to contact Aune at 473-2947 or any Lions Club member.
The Water Valley Casey Jones Museum is part of the depot restoration project that the Lions Club began in 1985. The Illinois Central Railroad abandoned the depot in 1982 when rail service through the city was discontinued.
In 1997, the Yalobusha Economic Development Foundation purchased the Bruce Gurner Collection of Railroad Memorabilia that is being housed in the museum.
On display are railroad items, photographs and documents of historical interest relating to the history of the Mississippi Division of the ICRR. Many of the items came from the families of former railroad employees and others with an interest in preserving Water Valley’s railroad heritage.
