Depot Day Open House

The Gulf Wind Chapter hosts its free Depot Day event each year to promote the historic Lloyd Depot as a community resource and an integral part of the community's past. The station was originally built in 1858. The chapter has owned the building since 1975 and is responsible for its ongoing maintenance and restoration. Photo by Dave Hodges

Come celebrate railroad history at Florida's oldest train station

The Gulf Wind Chapter extends a cordial invitation to railfans and residents to our organization’s Depot Day free open house scheduled for Saturday, May 20 at the historic Lloyd Depot in Jefferson County, FL.

A centerpiece of the Lloyd Historic District and Florida’s oldest remaining train station, the depot was built in 1858 by the Pensacola & Georgia Railroad and is one of only two surviving antebellum railroad depots in the state. Depot Day is a chance for the chapter to put numerous railroad artifacts and memorabilia on display and to discuss the building's historic significance. The occasion also marks the chapter’s 50th anniversary.

The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A free hot dog lunch will be served.

The Lloyd Depot was in service until the 1960s. When the building was closed by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1966 and faced demolition, the railroad agreed to transfer the building to the Jefferson County Historical Association for preservation. The Gulf Wind Chapter assumed ownership of the building in 1975 and has carried out several phases of restoration work since that time.

The Lloyd Depot is located at 8781 Old Lloyd Road in Lloyd, right on the Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad’s main line through the county. To get there from Interstate 10, use the State Road 59 exit and proceed south toward the flashing caution light at Old Lloyd Road, then turn left.

A centerpiece of the Lloyd Historic District and Florida’s oldest remaining train station, the Lloyd Depot is one of only two surviving antebellum railroad depots in the state. Photo by Dave Hodges
Depot Day is an opportunity for the Gulf Wind Chapter to display various items and artifacts in the station's freight room, which doubles as an exhibit space. Below, the station's schedule board was used by the station manager to post arrival and departure times for Seaboard passenger trains.
A favorite item for many Depot Day guests is the chapter's fully restored 1938 Fairmont S2 motorcar. Small powered vehicles like this were used by railroads to transport crews and equipment for track inspections, repairs and maintenance.