Rural Retreat Depot Foundation Inc

Contributions to the Rural Retreat Depot are vital for preserving its historical significance and enhancing community services amid ongoing downtown revitalization. The Depot’s appealing presence and diverse programs have spurred significant public and private investments, driving a thriving downtown resurgence. As its usage grows, the Depot requires sustained funding for maintenance, repairs, and expanded storage to support its expanding role in the community.

Because of its affordability and historic charm, the Depot has become a popular venue for weddings, reunions, and many other celebrations. A nominal rental fee covers our cost for scheduling, utilities, and cleaning. The Depot Foundation still depends upon ongoing generous private support to preserve this historic structure and to provide educational, entertainment, and cultural programs for the community. We are also raising capital to expand our storage space for the tables, chairs, and A/V equipment that are used by our renters and for our internal programs. 

In 2024, the Depot hosted 65 private events and 11 farmers markets, drawing over 6,000 attendees to the Depot and Rural Retreat. The Depot hosts events to support other local non-profits including the Library and the Music Club, and all non-profits in our area may use the Depot once each year free of charge for their meetings or fund-raisers. The Depot also produces large public celebrations, featuring model train shows, concerts, health fairs, etc. 

On a grander scale, the restoration of the Depot was the first step towards what is becoming a stunning revitalization of downtown Rural Retreat. Since its grand opening in 2017, the restored Depot has stood out as a jewel in an otherwise declining downtown area. Depot Foundation volunteers started the Rural Retreat Farmers Market at the Depot in 2013, and operated it through 2024. The Town of Rural Retreat leveraged the success of our Market to be awarded a $699,000 grant for downtown revitalization via construction of Heritage Park and Farmers Market. The new Rural Retreat Farmers Market opened on June 4, 2024 in Heritage Park, with Leslie Vanover as its manager. Leslie was one of our first, and ever loyal, vendors who, with our encouragement, earned her certification as a Market Manager. Concurrently, Asbury Church purchased the declining buildings north of the Depot known locally as "The Flat." Here, the historic former Presbyterian Church and several other original buildings have been restored in a similar period appearance as the Depot. Together with the Caboose and Depot, the north side of the railroad presents a pleasing appearance and displays a new vitality to downtown. Still under development across the tracks is the new Heritage Park and Farmers Market. This square has, in addition to a new $100,000 Farmers Market structure, plans for a splash pad and other recreational components. Indeed, the look and feel of downtown Rural Retreat has been completely reversed from one of decay and blight to one of progress and vitality. The Depot Foundation is proud of its vision and leadership in this reimagining of our beautiful community.

The Evelyn Lahman History Museum at the Depot was named in memory of one our founding volunteers The Lahman Museum has become a trusted repository for railroad and local historically significant memorabilia and ephemera. The Depot, the Town of Rural Retreat, and indeed many of Southwest Virginia towns exist because of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad construction in the 1850s. Many of our aging citizens have some tie to the railroad, and as the “railroad generation” moves on, the Layman Museum seeks to collect and preserve that history and heritage. The overwhelming amount of such treasures is leading towards more investment in digital and digitized exhibits. 

All donations to the Depot Foundation go directly towards the cost of preserving the building, operating it as an affordable rental venue, producing cultural events, including local and traditional music and dance, and ever improving the museum experience. We are also accumulating a capital fund for the addition of an attractive storage space on the west end that will allow us properly to store and access our tables, chairs, A/V equipment, and portable stage that are used with ever-increasing frequency. 

The original Depot was completed in 1855 at what was then “Mount Airy Depot.” It was expanded and remodeled in 1949 before it was abandoned in the early 1970s. The Rural Retreat Depot Foundation was established in 2011 to acquire, restore, and manage the depot. As purchased, the Depot had been abandoned by the railroad for over 40 years and was in serious disrepair. With 85% of the financial support coming from private donors and volunteer leadership, the Depot was restored to its 1949 appearance, and a Grand Opening was held in 2017. The Depot is operated as a meeting venue and a museum. It is managed by an all-volunteer leadership team.