City of Nacogdoches is honored to accept the designation of Union Pacific Train Town. In commemoration of Union Pacific’s 150th anniversary, towns along UP tracks were invited to join the “Train Town USA” registry. Towns listed on this registry are noted for having a rich history involving the railroad. A Train Town proclamation and sign were presented to the City of Nacogdoches by Union Pacific Representative Clint Schelbitzki at Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting.
Mayor Roger Van Horn accepting the Train Town proclamation from Clint Schelbitzki of Union Pacific Railroad.
Since 1883, the railroad has been shaping the history Nacogdoches. Trains brought a population boom from a mere 400 residents to over 1,200 people in Nacogdoches, and the railroad brought a shift in Nacogdoches economy from farming and cotton to lumber and industry, bringing an increase in business. The Houston East & West Texas (HE&WT) railroad was the first to pass through Nacogdoches, followed quickly by other tracks from cities such as New Orleans, Beaumont and Dallas. Today, the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot is the only surviving depot on the HE&WT railroad and has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While passenger services ceased in 1954, the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot maintains its relationship with Union Pacific and all of the visitors wanting to take a step back in time and remember the importance of transportation in the early development of Nacogdoches. The proclamation and Train Town USA sign will be on display at the Nacogdoches Railroad Depot.
