The Andover Depots

The Andover Passenger Depot and Freight Depot have been relocated to the grounds of The Ashtabula County Antique Engine Club. The passenger depot was constructed in the village of Andover alongside the railroad tracks. The building served customers traveling on the Bessemer & Erie Railroad. Constructed in the mid to late 1800’s it served customers until the mid 1900’s. When the railroad removed the tracks that ran through Andover the building no longer had a purpose and it was acquired by the village. The freight depot constructed around the same time served as a warehouse for the railroad. When the tracks were removed it was acquired by a local agricultural business and was used as a storage building.

The village of Andover used the passenger depot as offices and it was even the town hall for a short time, the Andover Police Department also used the building. In 1998 the village no longer had a use for the building and due to a potential land purchase they decided the building needed to be removed from the property. The village officials offered to sell the building to the engine club at a greatly reduced price as long as the club has the building moved. Without too much debate the club decided to accept the offer and seek outside funding for the moving expenses. The club was in the process of obtaining bids for the move when the business that owned the freight depot offered the club the same deal. When prices were submitted it was decided the club would accept both buildings. A moving contractor was selected and the process began.

The first step was to lift the buildings and build a strong support frame under the entire building. Attached to the support frame were wheels and a frame to attach the pulling vehicle to. Another part of the process was to select the best route to take the buildings from the East side of Andover to the club grounds about 12 miles away. When moving buildings there are many things to consider such as the height of the building, the length and the width and will it fit down the road. The freight depot was just too long to make some of the turns it would need to make. It was found that the building had been constructed in two sections and it would be best to separate the building for the move. By 1999 the passenger depot and the two halves of the freight depot were all on wheels and the route had been decided.

The buildings would be moved south along the abandoned railroad tracks to Gibbs Road, then east along Gibbs to Stanhope-Kellogsville Road, then south along Stanhope-Kellogsville to a point where they would be taken west across a farmers field to Creek Road, then south on Creek to Route 322, then west on Route 322 to the club grounds. In 1999 the buildings were take just a short distance south on the abandoned railroad tracks where they spent the winter. The next summer they moved another short distance along the abandoned railroad tracks to Gibbs Road where they spent the next winter. The move was hindered with scheduling difficulties with the utility companies who need to be there to raise wires and insure the continued services to the community. During the summer of 2001 club members helped the moving contractor cut overhanging branches along Gibbs Road, Stanhope-Kellogsville Road and Creek Road. At the club grounds final locations were decided and concrete foundations were constructed. In September of 2001 the buildings were moved the majority of their journey, about 8 miles all the way to Creek Road. The buildings sat a few weeks along Creek while permits were obtained for them to travel on Route 322 which is a state highway. With an escort by the State Troopers the buildings were moved to their new home and welcomed by their new owners.

The buildings stayed on their temporary supports until the spring of 2002 when masons built the last parts of the foundations and the buildings were lowered onto them. The freight depot was put back together again, the roof and floor had to be rebuilt where it had been cut. The club has found many uses for the freight depot as a storage building and display building for many of the historic items the club has acquired. The passenger depot has not been utilized to its potential as of 2006, there is a lot of work that needs to be done to restore the building to a point where it can be used. The move did not cause the damage, it was the passage of the last 150 years.