Railroad depot to anchor new Plain City public square with park, marketplace
PLAIN CITY, Ohio (WCMH) — A historic railroad depot will be relocated to Plain City as part of the village’s new public square development that will feature a park and a marketplace.
The depot will be dismantled and shipped to the village from Upper Arlington in June before opening to the public in early 2025 as the first phase of the larger public square project. Once installed, the depot will provide space for events, visitor amenities, commercial ventures and historical displays.
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Future phases of the public square will include a park with a railroad-themed play area, splash pad, seating and fire pit, trailhead and green space for outdoor community events. The village will also repurpose an existing building into a marketplace that will provide all-season event and vendor space for a year-round farmers market.
The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City) The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City) The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City) The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City) The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City) The depot will anchor Plain City’s public square, which will feature a park and a marketplace. (Courtesy Photo/Village of Plain City)
“A goal of staff and council is to create unique gathering spaces in our Uptown district that complement our local businesses and landmarks of Plain City,” said village administrator Haley Lupton. “I’m eager to see the addition of the Public Square project come to life and help round out our uptown amenities.”
Positioned at the corner of East Bigelow Avenue and Church Street, the development pays homage to historical maps from 1862 to 1875 that also referred to the property as the public square. The site was home to the original Plain City town hall, fire department, school and other early community buildings.
Plain City purchased the 1,473-square-foot depot from the Fromm Family, who restored the historic structure after acquiring it in 2004. Many of the original depot components were retained, including the original wooden walls and ceilings, while others were salvaged from other historical structures.
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The depot was the centerpiece of a larger rail collection, which also included three historic train cars that Barry restored and preserved. The depot and its rail collection served the community as a museum, meeting and event venue.
“The vision for the depot and Public Square brings excitement to our town and solidifies a place to gather as a community for many years to come,” said Mayor Jody Carney.
The additional public square phases will be built as funding becomes available, the village said. Learn more about the development here.
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