114 South Fourth Street
City Directories and History: (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot; Hartsville Depot) Hartsville’s former passenger station, constructed 1908 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company, stands as a visual reminder of the railroad and its role in the growth and development of the town of Hartsville. The station is a one-story structure typical of early 20th century railroad design. The slate roof is hipped with a deep overhang which is supported by large wooden brackets. There are three dormers with semicircular louvers on both the front and rear of the structure. There are also three interior chimneys of varying proportions which pierce the roof at its crest. Opening onto the exterior are six single doors and two double doors, all with rectangular transoms. In 1940, with the decline of passenger service, Atlantic Coast Line
discontinued this line to Hartsville. In 1948 the station became the office for the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. At this time the slate roof was repaired, new gutters and downspouts were installed, and asbestos shingles were placed over the wood siding. Interior changes were also made to the western (left) section of the station to accommodate the office space. Listed in the National Register June 29, 1976. [Courtesy of the SC Dept. of Archives and History]
In 1911 Major Coker wrote of the influence of the Hartsville Railroad: “…this little road has revolutionized business in the western portion of Darlington County, and has been the means of building up a considerable town at Hartsville with its varied industries and its present commercial importance.” ‘ With the coming of the railroad, Hartsville (incorporated in 1891) experienced a period of growth. According to the census of 1890 Hartsville had a population of 342; by 1900 the town had grown to 704 and by 1910 claimed 2,365 people. ____In 1908 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company built a passenger station at Hartsville to accommodate growing passenger travel. In 1940, however, with the decline of passenger service, Atlantic Coast Line discontinued this line to Hartsville. In 1948 A.L.M. Wiggins became Chairman of the Board of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. (Mr. Wiggins, a prominent businessman, also served as Under Secretary of the Treasury and, in an advisory position, as special assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury during President Truman’s administration). As a condition of acceptance of the position, Wiggins required the company to provide his principle office in Hartsville rather than in New York. “I established my ‘main office 1 in Hartsville, and at the suggestion of my wife, utilized the former Coast Line passenger station which was being torn down. The building was ‘modernized 1 with new siding, mahogany paneling, and new furniture…Newspapers reported that Wiggins had moved Wall Street to Hartsville.” 2 (Portions of the depot were utilized for freight service until 1971–this area is now unoccupied). Because the railroad has played such a significant role in the development of Hartsville and because the former passenger depot can be easily adapted, the City of Hartsville plans to convert the station into an historical museum. At present negotiations are underway with Seaboard- Coast Line (which merged with Atlantic) to purchase the structure.
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