The Town of Central has a rich railroad history. Established in 1875 as a railroad community, the town received the name "Central" because of its location halfway between Charlotte and Atlanta.
Today, the town has teamed with the Central Railroad Model and Historical Association, a local nonprofit organization, to capitalize on that history. The partners constructed the Central Railway Museum, located in downtown Central, which preserves the community’s strong ties to the railroad and stands as a point of pride and economic development for its residents.
This unique partnership formed several years ago in an effort to save the old Allen House, built in the 1800s, which was slated for demolition because of its condition and age. Initially considered too costly, the project was able to succeed after the association members offered to provide labor for the renovation and new museum if the town purchased the property and provided the building materials. The town upheld its end of the partnership using funds from its hospitality tax.
The result is a unique museum that houses model trains to scale and exhibits the rich history of Central’s railroad connections. The museum is now the focal point of Central’s annual Railroad Festival, as well as a year-round tourist attraction that is expected to draw visitors and tourism dollars from across the region and the nation.
Part of Central’s seven-year downtown revitalization campaign, the museum opened its doors at the 2009 Railroad Festival and had working train models in place for its 2010 festival. Because of the popularity of the project, Central’s annual train show has grown from averaging about 300 people to averaging more than 2,500.
In addition, the project helped provide additional parking for the downtown area, which had been limited because of the existing railroad running through town. This additional parking serves the local restaurants that previously would lose customers because of the scarce parking.
The Town intends for the museum to anchor its long-term marketing strategy, which incorporates the railroad as a theme to be displayed throughout the town, on its signs, banners, brochures and other materials.
The Museum has helped preserve the history and tradition that put Central on the map.