Lee Hall Depot | History

A look toward Yorktown Road from Lee Hall Village with early automobiles and trucks parked in the median of present day Elmhurst Street.
Naomi Hoover.

s passenger and freight activity became significant, the village of Lee Hall began to grow. Numerous services and places of business sprang up to support the activity generated by the depot including a schoolhouse, Dozier’s dairy, H.M. Clements’ Store, Emma Curtis’ cafe, and S.R. Curtis’ house and post office.

H.M. Clements’ store provided residents with a meat shop, a grocery, dry goods, and other materials, as well as a home to salesmen renting upstairs apartments. Buildings erected on either side--a bar, bowling alley, and barber shop--supported his business and added entertainment. Emma Curtis’ cafe and the tavern next door fed residents and travelers.

S.R. Curtis’ home, now The Boxwood Inn, served throughout the years as his home, a small grocery, Warwick County’s treasurer’s office, a post office, and hotel.

H. M. Clements store across from the Simon Curtis house.
Naomi Hoover.

A view from Lee Hall Village toward Lee Hall Mansion's main driveway. The school house is the distance in the woods, and the grove of trees on the far left marks the old Confederate redoubt. The three houses are still standing today.
Naomi Hoover.

The size of the village fostered a close-knit feeling of community. Vada Curtis opened her home as a hostess house and dance hall during World War I to welcome returning soldiers, while Dozier’s farm and dairy provided milk and meat for residents. As the village expanded, a tomato packing plant, pickle factory, Esso station, telephone exchange, and D.P. Pender chain store became part of the community.

During World War I and II, the depot enjoyed heavy military traffic from nearby Camp Eustis, now Fort Eustis. For Lee Hall residents during World War II, it became almost commonplace to see POWs being sent to camps at Fort Eustis.

THE MOVE

Section 1 on Warwick
Turning around on Warwick Boulevard.
Photo by Mary Kayaselcuk

Section One moving into position.
Joe Fudge, Daily Press

Crossing arm down.
Joe Fudge, Daily Press

Crossing Tracks
Section two going over the tracks.
Photo by Mary Kayaselcuk

Section two in the homeward stretch.
Photo by Mary Kayaselcuk

The depot at its original site and, bracing the interior.
Joe Fudge, Daily Press

Checking Wheels
Atop cribbing with I-beams in place and, on wheels ready to go.
Photos by Mary Kayaselcuk

he Friends of the Lee Hall Depot Foundation, Inc. organized in 2000 to accept the challenge of moving and restoring the station, in conjunction with the City of Newport News. Over a nearly ten year period, approximately $1.5 million was raised from federal, state, city and private sources.

In 2008 the city contracted the Phoenix Corporation to construct a new foundation, and engaged Expert House Movers, a firm experienced in difficult historic relocations to handle the physical move. Several months prior to the move, the foundation was excavated and set atop cribbing. Rotten/termite damage joists were shored up so that I-beam supports and rollers could be placed underneath. The interior was braced and the chimneys were boxed to stabilize them. Next, the building was cut in two -- the original 1880s freight room/1893 bay ticket office turret and the 1918 waiting room. The structure was hydraulically raised with jacks and separated.

On June 23, 2009, the two older sections were repositioned in preparation for the grade crossing. This involved pulling them onto Warwick Boulevard, turning 180 degrees, then temporarily parking them in a storage area. The next day, the crossing signal arm was taken down and the 1918 segment was towed over the tracks as CSX flag men halted train traffic. The other parts followed on June 25 to great fanfare by an enthusiastic crowd of observers. The last sections were both towed and pushed into place.

The halves were rejoined with block work on their new foundation, about 165' from the tracks. The building was stabilized while fundraising efforts proceeded to secure moneys for its rehabilitation.

Watch the Newport News in Review report on the Depot move.

Reunited at the new location!
Photo by Mary Kayaselcuk

THE DEPOT'S FUTURE

Project Timeline

2009

Stabilization and Moving of the Depot

2010-2015

Restoration and Special Events

Lee Hall Village Concept Plan.
CLICK TO ENLARGE

he relocation site of Lee Hall Depot is an approximate two-acre property purchased by the City of Newport News. The CSX railroad tracks are west of the site while south, across Elmhurst Street, is the historic c. 1896 Simon Read Curtis House, now The Boxwood Inn.

The station has been the subject of community
interest and planning
focus for several years.
Two city planning pro-
cesses featured the
relocation and preser-
vation of the Lee Hall
train station to act as a catalyst for Lee Hall

City of Newport News Department of Planning & Development.

Village’s economic development and maintenance of the community’s integrity. The area is envisioned to become a historic district featuring specialty shops and restaurants that will support nearby Civil War and Williamsburg area tourist attractions.

The restored depot will provide an area for a light rail transit
stop, a gift shop/admissions area, classroom/meeting space, and an exhibit entitled “Lee Hall Village: A Railroad Community." The gallery will document the dynamic impact of rail service on rural Warwick County which led to the modern industrial City of Newport News.

Additionally, the station will be named to the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register as it has already been decreed eligible for listing.

Total estimated project cost for relocating, preserving, and interpreting the depot is $2,300,000. Once restored, the station will be maintained and operated by the City of Newport News’ Division of Museums & Historic Services. Additionally, The Friends of the Lee Hall Depot will support the station financially through membership, special events, and programming.