Carmal, IN: 1883 Carmel Clay Museum/Monon Depot

(Satellite)

CarmelClayHistory

Wendy Vari posted

Our beloved Depot turns 140 this week!! 

Carmel wouldn’t have had a depot to celebrate if some industrious citizens had not taken it upon themselves to convince the railroad company to locate the line through Hamilton County rather than Boone County. Thanks to their efforts, work teams arrived in town in the summer of 1882 to graded the roadbed between Westfield and Indianapolis. The first work train rolled through Carmel on September 21, and the tracks were completed through Clay Township by the end of the month.

In October, the railroad company built a depot south of Water Street, now 1st Street SW, on the west side of the tracks. A telegraph line was installed the following month. The rail line between Indianapolis and Delphi opened on March 26, 1883. Initially, a train ran north and south through town each day. After the Carmel depot opened, a newspaper dispatch reported: “Some men came one day last week and gave our depot a nice double coat of paint with a finish of graining on the inside. It’s a neat structure, and Charley Buchanan, our jolly station agent, is a model of neatness. Charley is making many friends here. There have been two car-loads of wheat and one of hogs shipped from this place.”

We are looking forward to returning the Depot to its rightful place along the Monon once the Carmel Clay History Museum is built! If you’d like to learn more about the railroad, you can find it in our book “A Century of the Railroad in Carmel.”

This is what the depot looked like before it was moved to make room for a new building for the museum.

DiscoverIndianaHistory, Courtesy of Indiana DNR
"The Carmel Monon Depot was built in 1883 in Carmel, Indiana and abuts the path where the Monon Railroad ran until 1974. The building served as both a passenger and freight depot until the services were discontinued in 1961 and 1974, respectively."

The brick building is the building that was built for the museum. They are still restoring the depot in its new location in this view.

Street View, Oct 2024

YouAreCurrent
"The Carmel Clay History Museum is under construction at 1st St. SW and the Monon Greenway. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)"
The new building cost $6 million.

Here are some before and after street views.

Street View, Aug 2019

Street  View, Oct 2024

They have changed the landscaping in the old location a few times.

VisitHamiltonCounty

VisitHamiltonCounty

I included the curves in the railroad so that you can align this map with today's satillite image. Because of the trails, you can still see these curves.

1952/53 Fishers and Carmel Quads @ 24,000

Carmel Clay History Museum posted four photos with the comment: "One year ago today, our beloved Monon Depot was moved back home! Since then, it has been restored and better than ever! We’ve added beautiful outdoor seating on the Depot platform so you can relax and enjoy the rich history of the Monon! Come visit us to see for yourself!"

Derek Zollinger shared

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