A STATION MORE

ENDURANCE 20

COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION

By Charles Rutkowski and Scott Bogren

In historic Culpeper, Va., there sits a small rail station that has endured numerous railroad owners, a devastating fire and even war. Yet it survives today, an anchor of the city’s redevelopment effort and a transfer station for its burgeoning community transportation operation. Officially it’s known as Culpeper Station, but it might more aptly be called Endurance. Culpeper is a quintessential small town located about 65 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., on the Virginia Piedmont at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The creeping suburbanization of Washington hasn’t reached Culpeper yet, and it is still a rural market center for the surrounding area — as it has been for most of the past 250 years. Entering Culpeper, visitors are greeted by signs proclaiming that the community is, “One of the 10 Best Small Towns in America.” Approaching downtown, it is immediately apparent that the town has preserved the best of its past while growing into the future. Sections of the business district look much as they must have a century ago, with thriving shops and businesses behind ornate brick and stone facades. In fact, the downtown street network would still look familiar to the 17-year old surveyor who plotted them in 1759 — George Washington. At the heart of this historic downtown is the Culpeper rail station. A decade ago the station appeared neglected and forgotten; today it is the catalyst for a continuing downtown revitalization program.

APTLY NAMED A Rich History in Mobility The Orange & Alexandria Railroad reached Culpeper in 1852, and the town’s first station was built on the site of the current one. During the Civil War, Culpeper’s strategic location at the junction of the railroad and four major highways precipitated more than 100 nearby battles and skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces. In September 1863, the Battle of Culpeper Court House was fought at the railroad station. During the battle, General George A. Custer was wounded. The station, along with much of the surrounding countryside, was devastated during the war, yet it endured — only to succumb to a fire in 1900. Today, several information kiosks at the station tell the tale of the Battle of Culpeper Court House and a well-kept, peaceful graveyard just across the tracks is home to many Union and Confederate soldiers. After the original structure burned down, the Southern Railway, which had purchased the Orange & Alexandria, commissioned a new one that was completed in 1904. Much of the postwar architecture of Culpeper was brick, and the station was constructed to match. At the time, there was a substantial flow of freight traffic into and out of the town; to accommodate this demand, the freight room of the station was several times larger than the passenger facilities. 21

Indeed, Culpeper Station is reputed to be one of the longest in Virginia. As rail patronage declined through the 1950s and ‘60s, Culpeper’s station declined, along with many of its neighboring buildings. The Southern Railway and its successor Norfolk Southern maintained offices in the depot, which likely saved it from destruction. Passenger rail service continued, albeit without a ticket agent or any passenger amenities, by way of the Southern Railway’s Crescent stopping in town through 1979. Amtrak took over the Crescent soon thereafter and also served Culpeper on its Washington-to-Chicago Cardinal. Still, by 1987 Culpeper officials recognized that an organized effort was necessary to revitalize its downtown and the station, and established Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. The new organization focused on public-private partnerships to first preserve and restore the architectural infrastructure of downtown, and then attract new businesses and activities. The rail station was an integral part of the restoration effort. The strategy for the station project involved preservation of the facility’s appearance, while expanding its function beyond just an intercity rail station. Culpeper is still served by the New York to Washington to New Orleans Crescent, which operates daily in each direction, and the aforementioned Cardinal, which operates three days a week in each direction.

Intermodalism at Work Two years ago, Culpeper town officials recognized that many of its residents had unmet mobility needs, and set out to create a new public transit program. It didn’t come easy, however, “The town was hesitant,” recalls John Lassiter, Culpeper’s town planner. “There were four different attempts to get it started before it succeeded.” With investment from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Culpeper County Department of Social Services and the Town of Culpeper, a new fixed-route/route deviation service began operating on November 19, 2001, with one bus and just under a thousand riders the first full month of operations. The Virginia Regional Transportation Association, which operates the service under a public/private partnership with the town of Culpeper, soon realized that a single vehicle was not enough service. “The town of Culpeper wanted results and our operation has delivered them. Ridership’s phenomenal and the connections the system offers to local residents are obviously useful,” says Mark McGregor of the Virginia Regional Transportation Association.

Culpeper Station has found new life as a community transportation transfer point.

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COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION

ENDURANCE The Station's original ceiling beams remain.

Ridership has grown steadily to the point that a second vehicle was added in late 2002. The system now serves almost 2,500 riders a month with the Culpeper Station serving as the downtown boarding and transfer point for the service, adding another transportation function to the facility. “The system has been very helpful to the local economy, particularly in its service to local stores, hospitals, pharmacies, apartment complexes and more,” says Lassiter. Like many small town rail stations, Culpeper Station’s original purpose was as a connection for local residents to the rest of the country. The local community transit system is reviving that significant role as it offers its riders connections to other local rural towns like Warrenton, Front Royal and Little Washington. “These connections bring people into Culpeper to shop and for medical appointments, adding to the local economy,” says McGregor. Virginia Railway Express, a commuter rail system that currently operates two lines into Washington, D.C., has expressed interest in expanding its Manassas (Va.) line into Culpeper, though no specific timeline has been announced. Perhaps more far-fetched — particularly given the current economy — a Washington to Bristol, Va., rail line known as the Dominion Express has been discussed, which would also serve Culpeper. Greyhound also operates through Culpeper, with four buses daily on its route between Washington and Charlottesville, Va. Greyhound’s service brings the total to three transportation modes: local and intercity bus, and intercity rail, all serving a town of just under 10,000 people.

An Engine of Revitalization Town officials recognized that introducing other functions to the depot, both transportation-related and non transportation-related, would enhance its role in the community and help bring more vitality and business to downtown. In 1994 the Town secured federal investment through the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development to restore the interior of the passenger portion of the Culpeper Station, as well as the surrounding streetscapes. Before the project began, the town of Culpeper negotiated a property trade with the Norfolk Southern Railroad in which it received the station in return for a parcel of land to which Norfolk Southern relocated its freight offices. To ensure that the exterior appearance of the station was consistent with the original 1904 design, Town officials asked the Norfolk Southern to search its archives for any records dating back to 1904. Fortunately, the railroad discovered the original pen and ink architectural drawings and provided them for display in the station. Much of the exterior work involved repointing the brick work and replacing the roof. The brick, trim and wooden doors were repainted to highlight the original intricate architectural details. The exterior of the doors was authentically restored, although some no longer function as entrances. The walkways around the building were originally stone; they have effectively reproduced through the use of molded concrete.

Endurance, continued on page 42

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DAVID ELLIS

Endurance, continued from page 23

The Culpeper Chamber of Commerce, which was an active partner in the project, helped ensure its success by relocating its offices to the station and locating its new Culpeper Visitor’s Center in the former ticket office. Visitors driving into Culpeper are directed to the center, which dispenses information and brochures on local attractions, by signs posted on all major highways. The center is the starting point for walking tours of the historic section of town and also serves as a safe, indoor, weather-protected waiting area for rail passengers. The Chamber’s conference room is located in the former waiting room, and is available to the community at no cost. Although Amtrak does not sell tickets at the station, they are available at a nearby travel agent.

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Complimenting the Community As part of the downtown redevelopment program, every effort was made to preserve nearby buildings. A few structures that were immediately adjacent to the station could not be saved, however, and were demolished to create a new public open space. The community has embraced this area, which has hosted summertime farmer’s markets, evening concerts, Culpeper’s Train Days celebration and the community’s Christmas tree. The open space now anchors the eastern end of downtown, balancing the County Courthouse on the opposite side of town. The Town is considering a suitable statuary or civic monument for the space. To help preserve the railroad heritage of the neighborhood, the Norfolk Southern Railroad donated an old, wooden caboose, which has been installed opposite the freight end of the station. The historic, red caboose has become a focal point of the station’s plaza. In the past year, additional Transportation Enhancement funds were secured to rehabilitate the freight portion of the Culpeper Station. This half of the structure is a large open room that is essentially unchanged from the station’s construction. The restoration will preserve the wooden frame ceiling, brick walls and large wooden doors while transforming the space into a series of community meeting rooms. The original freight scale has been preserved and will be included in one of the rooms. Concurrently with the station renovation project, Culpeper Renaissance began a downtown façade preservation program in partnership with local property owners. Grants and loans, matched with private-sector funds, have successfully transformed nearly all of the nearby storefronts.

A Model of Endurance The mixed-use development exemplified by the Culpeper Station is certainly a model for other redevelopment of passenger rail and bus stations in communities around the country. As Culpeper prepares to celebrate its rail station’s 100th birthday, few of its original builders could have guessed that this station would remain at the heart of the community despite the passage of time and the significant changes in the way Americans travel. Fewer still could have predicted such a bright future for the great little station that might best be called Endurance. b