The South Side Depot is the oldest depot in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Today’s ceremony could not have come at a better time than during the planning for the sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War,” comments Petersburg Mayor W Howard Myers. “This project is a great example of a public-private partnership to help preserve the history and continue the legacy of this great city.”
Once restoration of the building is complete, the National Park Service will be creating and staffing a visitor contact station in the depot which was a critical part of the 1864-65 Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War. This contact center will be essential during the 150th anniversary of the Siege of Petersburg to accommodate increased tourism traffic to the area.
In August 2012, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Civil War Trust and the City announce this private-public partnership to protect and restore critical sites associate with the 1864-65 Petersburg Campaign. The State of Virginia announced nearly $750,000 in transportation enhancement matching grants, funding that will be used to aid in the restoration of the depot.