Augusta Union Station was a train depot in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

at 525 8th Street, serving trains from its opening in 1903 to its closing in 1968. The

Spanish Renaissance The Spanish Renaissance was a movement in Spain, emerging from the Italian Renaissance in Italy during the 14th century, that spread to Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries. This new focus in art, literature, Quotation, quotes and scienc ...

styled building was in central Augusta at Barrett Square, five blocks from the banks of the

Savannah River The Savannah River is a major river in the Southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and South Carolina. The river flows from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, ...

History

The station served trains of the

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967, it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast ...

(ACL),

Georgia Railroad Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of peo ...

, Southern Railway,

Central of Georgia Railway The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was constr ...

, Charleston & Western Carolina Railway, and Georgia & Florida Railroad. Noteworthy was the Southern Railway's '' Augusta Special,'' which in peak years went as far as

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and in later years went as far as

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...

via

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-mo ...

. Additionally, the Atlantic Coast Line's '' Palmetto'' operated from New York to Augusta, with a connecting train over Georgia Railroad tracks from Augusta to Atlanta. The ACL offered service on its train #50 bound for Washington, D.C. and New York City. (For the return trip, passengers would take the ACL's

West Coast Champion The ''Champion'' was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway between New York City and Miami or St. Petersburg, Florida. It operated from 1939 until 1979, continuing under the S ...

, which would have a special Augusta-bound section breaking off at

Florence, South Carolina Florence is a city in and the county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States. It lies at the intersection of Interstates 20 and 95 and is the eastern terminus of the former. It is the primary city within the Florence metropol ...

). The Georgia Railroad offered connecting trains to Atlanta Union Station. In the same fashion, the ACL and the Georgia Railroad offered overnight Atlanta-Augusta-

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...

service; until the early 1950s the train had an additional branch that veered southeast to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

. With the ACL's merger with the

Seaboard Air Line Railroad The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , known colloquially as the Seaboard Railroad during its time, was an American railroad that existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime ri ...

(SAL) into the

Seaboard Coast Line Railroad The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971. Eventually, the railroad was merged with its affiliate lin ...

in 1967 the ''Palmetto'' picked up this service but shortened the route to Augusta. However, the SCL continued to operate a connecting Augusta-Atlanta train. The Charleston & Western Railway operated passenger train service between Augusta and

Port Royal, South Carolina Port Royal is a town on Port Royal Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 14,220 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area. Port Royal is home to Marine Corps R ...

on the Atlantic Coast with a major transfer stop at Yemassee, South Carolina until some point between 1954 and 1955. Service declined in destinations by the late 1960s. In 1968 the station was closed. Nonetheless, the SCL continued Florence to Augusta train service, last as a section of the New York - Florida train, the ''

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world champi ...

;'' this ended in 1970. The station was demolished four years later. In its place is a post office.Steve Storey, Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage, 'Augusta Depots' http://www.railga.com/Depots/augusta.html

Notes

External links

1925 Southern Railway timetable

1952 Southern Railway timetable

Image of station, circa latter 1960s
{{coord, 33.4715, -81.9685, type:railwaystation_region:US-GA, display=title Former railway stations in Georgia (U.S. state) Union stations in the United States Railway stations in the United States opened in 1903 Former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad stations Former Southern Railway (U.S.) stations Former Central of Georgia Railway stations Demolished railway stations in the United States Railway stations in the United States closed in 1968