Thursday, July 2, 2026

Washington, NC: ACL Depot & Freight House and Underground Museum

Museum: (Satellite)
Depot: (Satellite)
Freight House: (Satellite)

The Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum is the SCL caboose on the left. The tan building is the depot, and the brick building behind it is the freight house.
Street View, Jul 2018

Wondering Carolina posted nine photos with the comment:
The old Atlantic Coast Line Depot in Washington has been a local landmark for well over a century. Construction began in 1903, and the depot opened in 1904 to serve passengers and freight traveling on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, one of the South’s most important rail systems. The Atlantic Coast Line connected communities across the Southeast and played a major role in the growth of towns like Washington by moving people, agricultural products, and goods throughout the region.
Today, the beautifully restored depot continues to serve the community as a historic landmark and gathering place. It stands as a reminder of Washington's railroad heritage and the important role the railroad played in the city's growth and development.
Just outside the depot, visitors can also explore the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum, housed in a historic railroad caboose. The museum tells the powerful stories of enslaved people who sought freedom through the Underground Railroad and highlights Washington's important connection to those journeys.
Together, the depot and its museums preserve several important chapters of local history, from the railroads that helped build the region to the waterways that sustained it and the courageous quest for freedom that shaped it.
(Unfortunately all of these attractions were closed today when I went, so I will definitely have to come back soon to learn more!)
I'm from Washington NC and nobody told me this!: Thank you for including the Washington NC Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum in your post. We appreciate it and we would be honored to have you come visit the Washington NC Waterfront Underground Railroad! Call us next time you're coming to Washington, and we would be happy to open the Museum for you on a day we aren't scheduled to be open. Our regular schedule is Thursday-Saturday 11:00-4:00.
Wandering Carolina shared with the comment: "Washington, NC."
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[Because of the regularly spaced freight doors, this used to be the freight house.]

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I presume the building in the foreground used to be a filling station. The buildings in the background are now a pizza place and a bar.
Street View, Jul 2018

The name of the pizza place is Havens Mill Pizza Company. I wonder what they used to mill here. Was it a feed mill? I know they grow a lot of chickens in the Southeast.
Street View, Mar 2026

The freight house is now the Washington Civic Center, which is obviously an event space.
Photo, Jan 2023

The ACL did street running down 2nd Street to get to these buildings.
1951/59 Washington Quad @ 24,000

Russellville, OH: Old Shell Gas Station

(Satellite)

Matt Belcher posted two photos with the comment: "Russellville, OH"
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It has recently received some much-needed TLC. I'm glad he could find globes for the pumps.
Street View, Jun 2024

Chandler, OK: Route 66 Interpretive Center, Phillips 66 Gas Station, True Value and Feed Mill

US-66 Overview

"Cruising" the town from north to south.

Route 66 Bowl (Satellite)


Street View, Oct 2025

Route 66 Interpretive Center (Satellite)


Street View, Sep 2023

In Oklahoma, you are never far from oil.
Kat, Aug 2024

route66interpretivecenter

What would be a Route 66 museum be without a gift shop?

Phil Cambran, Jul 2017
route66interpretivecenter

It has an event space.
Photo, Feb 2019

I wonder what the building used to be because it is big.
Street View, Feb 2022

Repurposed Gas Station (Satellite)


Street View, Oct 2025

Westfall Phillips 66 Gas Station (Satellite)


Street View, Oct 2025

Note the crank on the right side that was need to "ring up" the sale.
 Eric Treadwell -GEOTREAD-, Aug 2023

The downtown has some interesting architecture

Then I discovered that the stone building houses the Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History.
Street View, Aug 2023

But they are losing some of their architecture


Street View, Jan 2023

Street View, Oct 2025

Abandoned Gas Station (Satellite)


Street View, Aug 2023

This is the post that motivated "cruising" this town.
Jeff Thisted posted

Back in its better days.
Street View, Oct 2012

Mural


Street View, May 2024

Closed Douglas Grocery Store and Sinclair Gas Pump (Satellite)


Is the purpose of the bricks by the pump to deter theft?
Street View, Jan 2023

Street View, Jun 2018

True Value Hardware and Feed Mill (Satellite)


The thing that first caught my eye was the True Value Hardware store on the left. Unfortunately, they are becoming history. When we first moved into Downers Grove, IL, in 1976, there were three True Value hardware stores in town. Two of them were just a few blocks away. Unfortunately, we lost them decades ago. Now, if we need something from True Value, we have to go to Western Springs.
Street View, Jun 2018

The feed mill used to have rail service.
Street View, Oct 2025

The rail service was an industrial spur off of the Frisco Mainline.
1974/77 Oklahoma City Quad @ 24,000

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Reservoir and Black Shade Balls

(Satellite)

The reservoir is covered with 96,000,000 black balls so that sunlight cannot enter the water. The primary purpose for keeping the sunlight out of the water is to avoid the chemical reaction that turns bromide and chlorine into bromate (BrO3), which is carcinogenic. The water source for this reservoir has naturally occurring bromide.  And since this reservoir hold treated water, chlorine has been added at the filtration plant. The balls have the further advantages of reducing evaporation, controlling algae by stopping photosynthesis and keeping wildlife off the water. The reduction of evaporation saves an estimated 300m gallons of treated water each year.
12:06 video @ 0:48

@ 0:00

This Facebook Reel is a shorter version of the above video.

Madison, NJ: New Jersey Transit/DL&W Depot

(Satellite)

The East Coast regularly beats the Midwest for the faciness of their depots.

Street View, Aug 2018

Jack Norris posted seven photos with the comment: "The substantial stone station built by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR in Madison, NJ, Still a busy stop for NJT."
Jack Norris shared
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Eric Finkelstein, Mar 2022

Jason M, Oct 2024

The commuter service in the NYC metro area looks complicated. I accessed the link on Google Maps, https://dv.njtransit.com/mobile/tid-mobile.aspx?SID=MA, to learn more. But I got a "500- Internal server error" in response. I hope NJT maintains their trains better than their website.
1954/55 Morristown Quad @ 24,000