Stevenson in Jackson County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Stevenson Depot and Hotel
During the Civil War, Stevenson was a hub of activity. Union and Confederate troops skirmished here and the town changed hands more than once, though Stevenson mostly lay under Union control. Troops occupied the town and a large refugee camp sprang up between the depot and Ft. Harker, a quarter-mile east.
Tens of thousands of soldiers, horses, wagons, prisoners of war, refugees, wounded men and others passed through Stevenson during the late summer and fall of 1863, before, during and after the Battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga. Harper's Weekly, an influential newspaper of the time, noting the juncture of East-West and North-South rail lines here, called Stevenson "One of the seven most important cities in the South."
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After the war, the depot and hotel continued as the center of life in Stevenson. Trains stopped here at mealtimes and passengers ate in the hotel dining rooms. Other passengers spent the night here; the hotel is so close to the tracks that it was said the trains "opened the hotel windows and pulled the covers off the beds." Generations recalled final passenger departures and arrivals here, often sad and poignant especially during war times.
A group of citizens saved the depot from destruction during the Bicentennial in 1976, when the last railroad office closed. The depot was renovated for use as a community museum, which opened in June 1982.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places 5/13/1974
Erected by Alabama Historical Commission.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1982.
Location. 34° 52.074′ N, 85° 50.4′ W. Marker is in Stevenson, Alabama, in Jackson County. Marker is on West Main Street (State Highway 117), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Stevenson AL 35772, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Flight 800 Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fort Harker (approx. 0.4 miles away); Union Army Headquarters (approx. half a mile away); Averyville (approx. 0.8 miles away); Bennett's Cove Cabin (approx. one mile away); Wet, Wild, and Wonderful (approx. 1.3 miles away); Crow Town (approx. 1˝ miles away); Rocky Springs Church of Christ (approx. 7.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Stevenson.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2009, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,543 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 7, 2009, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 31, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.