As far back as 1888, travelers would gather at the Odum Depot to wait for one of two new daily passenger trains. Somewhere around 1904, the original Odum Depot was destroyed by fire. In 1905, a new Depot was built and remained in Odum until 1969, when it was purchased by Will Murphy and moved to Jesup. In 1984, the City of Jesup condemned the building and moved it to the city’s sewer treatment plant.
Several local history buffs recognized the building in 1992 and started planning its return to Odum. The City of Odum applied for and received a $100,000 Transportation Enhancement Grant through the Department of Community Affairs and a $10,000 Local Development Grant. The restoration process began with these monies, along with donations from Odum citizens and a $3,000 donation from Odum Homecoming.
In October 2002, days after the 27th annual Odum Day, the Depot was moved back to its rightful place in downtown Odum. Moving the 68 x 35 foot building 12 miles to its town-square site took more than three and one-half hours.
The Depot arrived in Odum with no roof, windows, or doors intact. Vines were growing in the building, and someone had started a fire in the freight room, causing damage to the heart pine floor. The Depot consisted of four rooms: a large freight room, an office where the Depot master sat at the bay window so he could watch for the train coming down the track, and two waiting rooms.
Within two weeks of its return home, the nearly 100-year-old building began to take shape. It started to resemble the Depot that once stood in Odum, sheltering those waiting to hear the whistle of the Old Southern Railway engine traveling on the East Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia Railroad and awaiting the conductor’s call of ALL ABOARD.
Even though this majestic building will never again be used for this purpose, we can be proud of the efforts and persistence of those who brought home to Odum a little piece of history for all to enjoy.