Enjoy a “Choo Choo Christmas” at the Marion County Museum & Archives beginning Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. The FREE exhibit is “Marion County Railroad History.” The museum will be open that Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The exhibit will have three tables of running model trains, one “Polar Express Train,” three trains running on a “Columbia Main Street” setting and one new display of a full town, farm and mine landscape with two running trains.
Also, enjoy some Holiday flavor décor with several “Holiday Village Scenes.” There will be a “Young Engineers” play area with train sets to enjoy a hands-on experience along with the movie “Polar Express” playing in that area.
Video interviews of people who have worked on the railroads will be playing as well as a video interview with a gentleman who has direct information on the aftermath of the Red Bluff train derailment in 1968.
Columbia has quite a railroad history with three main lines coming through. The Fernwood, Columbia & Gulf (FC&G), the New Orleans Great Northern (NOGN) and the Gulf & Ship Island (G&SI). The museum is located in the only depot left in Columbia from the early 1900s, the G&SI depot at 200 Second St. The history of logging railroad spurs in Marion County and the region, as well as the main lines as they changed hands eventually to the Illinois Central Gulf RR, is explored in the display.
Regular hours: Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Dec. 7, 12-14 and 28. Evening hours: Dec. 19-20 from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Dec. 21 from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m.
The hours will be posted on the doors at the museum. Please visit the Marion County Historical Society Facebook page for additional updates. The Marion County Museum & Archives is under the supervision of The Marion County Historical Society.
