Winchester News-Gazette, Jan. 1983
By Rick Reed
All Aboard!
What now is a strange phrase to Parker City residents was pretty darn familiar around the turn of the century. It was the sound of a conductor calling to passengers to board the train. It was the era of "Boomtown" as 74 year old Parker resident Naomi Meyers recalls.
Today, the only remnant of the New York Central or "Big 4", as it was better known, is the building that once was the depot. It has been restored to a veterinarian clinic and is located where it always has been-in the center of town along the railroad tracks. It's official address is 206 Main Street.
Many residents around this small western Randolph County town still refer to the site as "the old depot," remembering either it's busy days of shuffling passengers off to Winchester or Muncie, or remembering its days of vacancy when it eventually became rundown and an eyesore. It was not until a few years ago that the building took on its better fate as the clinic.
Naomi Meyers, who resides at 205 S. Franklin just behind the former depot, has a special interest in the history of the building. After all, it was her father who held down the position of depot agent for nearly 45 years. Many of the elderly Parker residents may remember Joe Myers as the agent.
Naomi remembers that her father took on the Parker depot duties in 1906 after moving from Pemberton, Ohio, where he had similar duties. The job of depot agent, she said, was up for bids and the man with the most experience (Joe Myers) was given the job.
Naomi was only two years old at the time. As the years passed by she recalls fond memories of the building and the era of its existence.
"I practically grew up in that building," she recalls without hesitation. "There used to be a passenger train stop in Parker every day. This used to be a boomtown but now it's nothing," said the long-time Parker resident.
Other sites in Parker contributing to Myers "Boomtown" label included a furniture factory, a glass factory, a millinery and two or three elevators.
Yet another town resident who can recall the depot and it's effect is Hilliard Porter. Porter distinctly remembers purchasing a ticket for the passenger train and riding to Farmland to buy a pair of shoes
Somewhat of an oddity occurred when it was decided that double tracks were needed along the depot, remembers Porter, "'long about 1915." He said that there was insufficient room to install the added track and the depot was moved farther south. Porter said that in the squeezing process an entire house was moved to another area of town, something Porter said was not uncommon in those days.
"I could tell you about a lot of houses that were moved entirely to any area of town," he proclaimed.
The memories of the old depot are pleasant ones to Porter. His memory focuses on an old pot-bellied stove where many would gather to warm-up in the winter.
He remembers the express trains racing through town on their way to Winchester, Union City or Muncie to make good time.
Yes, these were good times for Parker residents. When considering the fact that it only cost a quarter to board a passenger train in Parker and ride through the countryside to Muncie, how could one stop from having a good time on The Big 4 railroad?
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| Unidentified railroad workers. |
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