Piedmont's Railroad Depot Museum gets grant

Sep. 10—Calhoun County's newest museum has received a $40,000 grant.

The Piedmont Historical Society and the City of Piedmont are moving forward with the renovation of the Railroad Depot Museum thanks, in part, to a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The society and the city are matching the grant with $8,000 this year to pay for labor and materials for the project.

The historic Railroad Depot, a National Registry site, has been the home of the society's museum since the 1980s when the society decided to preserve the building that had served travelers in northern Calhoun County and beyond since 1867. It is located at 130 N. Center Avenue, on the northern end of downtown Piedmont.

When finished in 2023, the project will have a cost of over $200,000, as the depot is renovated to its original appearance.

The Depot Cargo Room will house the "Making Alabama" exhibit created during the state's bicentennial by the Alabama Historical Foundation. Also featured in the museum will be an interactive, topographical map of the state, along with many Piedmont and Calhoun County historical artifacts collected by the society over the past several decades, according to Ben Ingram, the project coordinator for the society.

"The exhibits will be a great field trip for the state's fourth-graders, who study Alabama history during that grade," Ingram said. "Also, it is a great draw for those traveling the Chief Ladiga Trail or simply visiting our city."

"The most beautiful part will be when we finish the woodwork on the interior," Ingram said. "Our goal is to restore the cargo room and four front rooms of the museum back to their original appearance."

Previous projects have had workers stripping these rooms, which exposed a cathedral-type ceiling. The ADECA grant project will improve the electrical capabilities to handle the $100,000 "Making Alabama" exhibit's electrical needs.

The society has worked to develop and preserve the city's history from the time it was first named Hollow Stump, then Cross Plains, Griffin's Creek and, finally, Piedmont.

"I'd say we have collected about 5,000 items," said Theresa Kisor, a member of the society. "The historical society was organized in 1984, and we have been fortunate to obtain household and personal items from many of our city's leaders, such as the Daugettes, Forneys, Moodys, Wilsons, Duggars and more."

The ADECA grant will also help with the heating and cooling of the facility, improve the lighting and add hot water.

The Piedmont Historical Society invites residents to join the society, volunteer or send in a donation. Checks should be made to the Piedmont Historical Society, Inc., 130 N. Center Avenue, Piedmont AL 36272. Those with artifacts should email a photo and description of the item to piedmontrobertshome@gmail.com.