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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
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HHJ Ed Bania
Plans call for the Elberta train depot, currently located at the old Houston County
Fairgrounds, to be moved to Front Street near Watson Boulevard.
WR to move train station,
country store to First Street
By Ed Bania
HHJ Staff Writer
WARNER ROBINS - After
Monday’s City Council meet
ing, Mayor Donald Walker
said the city will move an old,
tum-of-the-centuiy train sta
tion and a mid-1800s country
store to First Street and
Watson Boulevard next to the
Convention and Visitors
Center caboose.
“I think it should be a
tourist attraction and also
should be a preservation of
our history,” Walker said.
“Kind of have a synergy
there.”
He said the station and
store would show how people
traveled in the area and did
business during the 1800 s.
Engineers have drawn
plans for the First Street
tourist area and utilities have
been located.
Because the depot is 23 feet
high, Bell South will move
nearby phone lines under
ground. The city will pay the
SB,BOO cost. Walker said he
wished he could get utilities
to put all lines underground,
especially along Watson
Boulevard.
A large room in the train
station will function as a
meeting room for businesses
and groups. Walker said the
city has received a scale model
miniature city with a model
train circling around that will
be displayed in the station.
The Elberta train station
originally was located at the
tracks on Ga. 247 north of
Davis Drive. The owner of the
old Houston County
Fairgrounds bought the sta
tion and Mildred’s Country
Store and moved the build
ings to the fairgrounds as
tourist attractions.
The buildings were sold to
the city about two years ago.
Mildred’s Country Store
dates back to the mid-1800s.
The sale included all the
antiques and collectibles
inside. The store will remain
intact, according to Walker.
During Monday’s council
meeting, Walker announced
that Wal-Mart is eyeing the
city for a new “supercenter,”
in addition to its location on
Watson Boulevard. Walker
said he would meet with offi
cials from Wal-Mart this
week. The center will likely
be built in the eastern part of
the city, in Councilman Terry
Horton’s district.
Wal-Mart also has a super
center in Perry.
Walker said there is also a
“99 percent chance” that the
city may finally get an Italian
restaurant “that’s the real
thing.” According to a city
official, Johnny Carino’s, a
franchise group with loca
tions in Georgia, Alabama
and Florida and headquar
tered in Austin, Texas, is
looking for a site in the city.
The council unanimously
approved the sale of the
“spec” building on Osigian
Boulevard by the city’s
Development Authority to the
Houston County
Development Authority for $1
million.
A promissory note of
SIOO,OOO will be paid to the
County Development
Authority, according to City
Attorney Jim Elliott. The city
would get 55 percent of the
remaining money and the
Warner Robins Area Chamber
of Commerce would collect 45
percent.
“The city in essence will get
its money back when the sale
is done,” Elliott said.
Also, the council approved a
mutual aid agreement with
Robins Air Force Base for
emergency traffic support in
case of an emergency or evac
uation.
The agreement forms a
partnership with the 78th
Security Forces Squadron and
the city’s police department.
The department would dis
patch patrol cars to major
intersections next to the base.
Traffic lights within a five
mile radius of the base on
Watson Boulevard, Green
Street and Russell Parkway
would be switched to blinking
yellow so that traffic can flow
in a steady stream.
Council members approved
two-year terms for six com
mission members of Keep
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The council also approved
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on the Convention and
Visitors Bureau. Bill Dowell
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Walker honored City
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“He is a true city planner
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