Peach Tree Southern Railway (Brookwood Station)
Peachtree Southern Railway, now known as Brookwood Station, is the last passenger terminal in Atlanta, a city which owes its existence to railroads. Representing a fine example of a suburban railroad terminal, it is the work of the eminent Atlanta architectural firm of Hentz, Reid, and Adler. Opening in 1918, the station originally serviced 14 arriving trains and seven departing trains on a daily basis. Today, however, only a few passenger trains run primarily to New Orleans, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C. The architects conceived the railroad terminal as an Italian Renaissance pavilion. The east facade is composed of three bays and separated by four wide, brick pilasters with limestone bases. The pilasters are connected by a molded entablature. Flush with the brick facade, the entablature is finished in sections and etched with the name of the station over the bays. Palladian windows and entranceways can be found on every facade except for the rear, or west, facade. The west facade includes an attachment to the rectangular building that includes clerks' offices and a sheltered porch area. The interior of the station is simple in terms of its layout and its design. There are two waiting rooms that constitute the main block of the building. Both rooms contain wooden benches with curved backs. A short brass rail divides the ticket window from the main waiting room. A door to the left of the ticket window opens to the rear porch and to the stairs that lead to the railroad concourse below.
Peachtree Southern Railway, now Brookwood Station, is located at 1688 Peachtree St. in north Atlanta. It is open daily as an Amtrak passenger station. Call 1-800-872-7245 for more information on the station and its schedule.
Information and photos courtesy of the National Register for Historic Places Atlanta, GA Travel Itinerary, a subsidiary of the National Park Service.
