A Railroad Freight Building Served as Yankee Barracks in 1865

One longtime resident recalled that, with only a few exceptions, he personally watched the construction of nearly every brick building in Shelby. Among the buildings that predated his memory was the freight building at the Seaboard Air Line depot. This structure had been built before the Civil War and was later used as barracks for Yankee troops during the Federal occupation of Shelby in 1865. The same account listed other early buildings that disappeared over time, including homes, churches, hotels, and theaters, but the freight building was remembered specifically for its wartime use. Its role during the occupation stood out as a reminder that Union troops were physically present in the town at the close of the war.

Source: Mamie Jones

Note:  Building was likely built before Railroad an likely stored Tobacco or other crops there. (LS)