Description

On the National Register of Historical Places, the Texas-Pacific railroad station - 3rd Street at Huey P. Long Avenue, Gretna. Built in 1905, it replaced a pre-Civil War wood structure close to the rail ferry. The Gretna Station was the starting point of all Texas-Pacific rails going north and west of the Mississippi. After passengers boarded in New Orleans, the cars were ferried across the river and assembled into a train on 3rd Street in front of the Gretna Station.

For 30 years, the little station was very active as many New Orleans passengers preferred to cross the mighty river on the Jackson Avenue Ferry and board the train in Gretna. In 1935, the station fell on hard times as it was no longer needed after the railroad bridge opened, connecting west with east. In post WWII years, the Texas-Pacific was purchased by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. Being declared access baggage by M-P, the little station was donated to the City of Gretna. With a modern facelift, the little station began its most unglamorous role - it became Gretna's collection office for auto traffic fines.

In 1993, Louisiana State Railroad Museum became the new occupant of the little station. With most of its modernism ripped out, exposing its very ornate embossed tin ceiling, restoration moved very slowly as funds became available. After 60 years of mostly desolation and idleness, Gretna's Texas-Pacific Station, restored to its 1905 appearance, lives again as it hosts bus loads of excited children and rail fans from everywhere.

Louisiana State Railroad Museum