Fall has arrived and with it comes the highly anticipated Hospice Satilla Silver Bowl Gala. The Board of Hospice Satilla invites you to have a “Heart for Hospice” and join us for a delightful evening at the newly renovated historic Blackshear Train Depot located at 200 South Central Avenue. Please mark your calendar for Thursday, November 10, from 4:30-8:30 p.m.
The community at large is invited to enjoy the evening. Tickets are not sold for this event. Your support, however, in the form of a contribution placed in the Silver Bowl at the entry is encouraged.
This year’s venue, the historic Blackshear Train Depot, was originally built in the 1800s. Entirely constructed of wood, it was destroyed by fire in 1892, according to the records of the Pierce County Historical and Genealogical Society.
Perishing in the fire along with the building was a number of pigs that had made a home underneath the loading dock of the depot. The records further state, “The brick depot was built to accommodate more freight and an increased number of passengers traveling through Blackshear.
In 1902, there were seven passenger trains a day and steady freight service.” The depot continued to be used for passenger services until the 1950s and handled freight until the 1970s. The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Fast-forward to recent years, the Pierce County Industrial Development Authority deeded the train depot to the city for the purpose of renovating the building. Enter the architectural firm of Ellis, Ricket & Associates of Valdosta who also successfully renovated historic depots in Homerville and Leesburg.
Larry Jones, the firm’s talented architect, presented a renovation plan to include two phases.
Phase I called for refurbishing the roof and exterior brick, adding handrails to the front and rear platforms, and providing a wheelchair-accessible ramp; it was completed in 2017. Phase II of the train depot renovation encompassed the interior work and has just been completed.
Blackshear Police Chief/Special Projects Manager Chris Wright and Main Street Blackshear Manager Bethany Strickland spearheaded the impressive train depot renovation while R.H. Tyson Construction of Blackshear supervised the day-to-day progress.
The end product, the of the historic train depot, is awe-inspiring. The original heart pine flooring of the depot has been restored to its rich, golden glory days. On a recent tour of the venue, Ms. Strickland shared that it took 17 passes with the sander to achieve the desired look which captures and maintains the character of the heart pine. To preserve the pristine heart pine floors, epoxy was applied, as well as a special grout between the boards.
Other highlights of the 3,900-square-foot renovation include repurposing and restoring all the interior lumber to create stunning, handsome wooden walls on the east and west ends of the depot. When it was discovered there would not be enough original lumber to complete the baseboards, heart pine from Godwin’s Body Shop was used, adding another layer of history to the depot.
Of particular interest is the preservation and use of the original barn doors throughout the depot. For history buffs, the old freight scale, once used to weigh cotton and tobacco, is still functional and adorns the interior.
Additionally, Ms. Strickland is enhancing the old-time charm of the depot by using signs, dating back to the 1920s, as special décor in the food service area. These signs were found in various corners of the depot and were once used by local merchants to save “spots” for their wares in the depot.
While much of the depot has been preserved, Phase II also called for modernization to ensure the comfort of visitors and guests.
Not only were heating and cooling systems installed but also restrooms and a kitchen were added. To catapult the depot as a premier venue for the area, the electrical system has had an overhaul to include wiring for live bands and brighter lights to set the stage for wonderful evenings of dancing on the golden heart pine floors and celebrating life’s milestones.
Whether it’s dancing the night away on the golden dance floor to the tunes of Pinder and Snow or savoring treats from Heavenly Delights by Gina, the Board of Hospice Satilla hopes you will share an evening with us to celebrate the past and support the future of Hospice Satilla, your hometown hospice.
For those that are new to our area, the Silver Bowl Gala is not only a time to gather with family and friends but also an opportunity to raise much-needed funds to support the expenses of Hospice Satilla. As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of individual donors and the business community to fund our efforts to provide the care and services members of our community desperately need.
Your help ensures that those in their greatest time of need have access to exemplary physical, emotional, and spiritual care, regardless of their ability to pay.
Hospice Satilla offers care to the eight surrounding counties of Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Pierce, and Ware.
For more information, you may call 912-614-1504.
