Fun Fremont Fact

On this day (May 29) 1909 (110 years ago!) the first steam powered passenger train pulled into the Centerville Depot.  Here is a story about it from the Centerville Walking Tour website:

Centerville Train Depot & Bill Ball Plaza -Also known as Centerville Civic Plaza. Bill Ball was Fremont Mayor from1989 to 1994. The first building at this location was the Horner Schoolhouse, built in 1850. It was later moved to Irvington. Next was the United States Hotel. This was later moved a mile south on Fremont Blvd.. The first passenger train arrival in Centerville on May 29, 1909. The station was a boxcar and many complaints were registered by the local residents. In September, 1910, the Centerville Train Depot was built. The depot serviced Centerville with multiple trains per day. The last passenger service was on March 29, 1940, and the depot was used strictly for freight. On September 30, 1961, the Southern Pacific railroad retired the depot, and it was used to house a number of stores. By 1991, the depot was empty and showing its age. On June 4, 1993, train service returned to Fremont.In December 1993, the City of Fremont acquired the depot and started restoration of the building, putting it back into use as depot for passenger service. The depot was move from the south side of the tracks to the north side to service passengers. In 1910, the firstCenterville Library opens in a building located onMain Street, just to the south of the train station. It moved out of that building in 1923