>>> GETTING AROUND TODAY IS FAIRLY EASY.

YOU CAN HOP IN YOUR CAR, GET ON A PLANE, AND IN SOME PLACES, YOU CAN STILL RIDE THE TRAIN.

BUT GO BACK A HUNDRED YEARS OR MORE, AND THE TRAIN WAS ONE OF YOUR ONLY CHOICES.

IN FACT, IN 1920, 600,000 PEOPLE TOOK THE TRAIN TO MARION, OHIO, TO VISIT WARREN G. HARDING'S HOME FOR HIS FAMOUS FRONT PORCH CAMPAIGN.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN JEFF DARBEE HEADS TO THE MARION UNION STATION TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DEPOT'S HISTORY.

>> MARION IS THE SEAT OF MARION COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AND WAS THE HOME OF WARREN G. HARDING, OUR 29th PRESIDENT, AND HIS HOME, FROM WHEN HE WAS A RESIDENT IN MARION, RAN THE NEWSPAPER HERE, HAS BEEN PRESERVED, AND HE IS ALSO MEMORIALIZED IN THE HARDING MEMORIAL, HIS GRAVESITE, WHICH IS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN.

MARION WAS A MAJOR RAILROAD HUB AND STILL IS, HISTORICALLY, AND QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY THERE, AND THE LOCAL GROUP HAS PRESERVED OLD UNION STATION.

THE LAST TRAIN THROUGH IT WAS IN 1971, ALTHOUGH PLENTY OF FREIGHT TRAINS STILL GO BY.

SO, WE WILL BE VISITING THAT AND TALKING ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF THAT AND ALSO AN ANCILLARY STRUCTURE CALLED AC TOWER, WHICH WE WILL EXPLAIN ONCE WE GET TO MARION UNION STATION.

>> PETE, HELLO.

>> HI, JEFF.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> SO, MARION UNION STATION, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

OF I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT LEARN ABOUT THE PLACE.

>> WELL, YES.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1902.

>> AND IT'S UNION BECAUSE?

>> GENERALLY, ON THE RAILROAD, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A UNION STATION, IT MEANS IT SERVED A NUMBER OF THE RAILROADS.

>> OKAY, SO, THERE WERE SEVERAL HERE IN MARION.

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

WELL, THE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS ARE WONDERFUL.

IT'S CERTAINLY A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME.

THIS IS THE TICKET BOOTH HERE?

>> WELL, THE TICKET WINDOWS OR THE TICKET OFFICE.

>> TICKET OFFICE.

>> YES.

>> SO, THIS WAS THE MAIN WAITING ROOM.

>> THIS WAS THE MAIN WAITING ROOM, YES.

>> WHAT SORT OF -- HOW MANY TRAINS WOULD COME THROUGH, SAY, IN THE OLD DAYS?

>> ABOUT 55 YEARS AGO, THERE WERE ABOUT 16 PASSENGER TRAINS A DAY THAT STOPPED HERE.

>> THAT'S A LOT.

NOW IT'S ALL FREIGHT TRAINS.

>> NOW IT'S ALL FREIGHT TRAINS.

>> BUT STILL VERY BUSY.

>> YES.

>> TELL ME ABOUT MARION UNION STATION ASSOCIATION.

>> IT WAS FORMED SOME 15 YEARS AFTER THE STATION WAS ABANDONED, AND SO THAT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO BRING BACK AN ABANDONED BUILDING.

THE ROOF WAS LEAKING TERRIBLY, AND OF COURSE, NO UTILITIES OR HEAT.

AND THE BUILDING HAD GOTTEN IN TERRIBLE CONDITION, AND MOST OF THE ORIGINAL RAILROAD STUFF HAD WALKED OFF.

THESE ARE CHURCH PEWS FROM ST. MARY'S.

>> SO, THESE SIMULATE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SAT ON.

THESE ARE NOT THE ACTUAL BENCHES.

>> RIGHT.

THAT IS AN ORIGINAL BENCH IN THAT CORNER.

THERE WERE THREE BIG ROWS OF THEM HERE.

THE SKYLIGHT'S INTERESTING.

IT WAS RESTORED ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO.

>> NOW, THAT'S THE ORIGINAL SKYLIGHT.

YOU FOUND ALL THE PIECES?

HAD IT BEEN DAMAGED?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, STAINED GLASS PEOPLE, THEY CAN MATCH ANYTHING.

>> WELL, THAT'S TRUE.

BUT THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WITH THE SORT OF SUNRISE DESIGN WITH THE GLEAN?

>> YES.

AND FORTUNATELY, IT'S ALWAYS HAD THE ROOF OVER IT.

>> SO IT WASN'T ACTUALLY A SKYLIGHT.

IT WAS ARTIFICIALLY LIGHTED FROM THE BEGINNING.

THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ALWAYS DONE THAT WAY.

THE TICKET WINDOWS ARE WONDERFUL.

THAT LOOKS LIKE OAK.

>> YES, THE TICKET WINDOWS, I WAS TOLD THAT UNTIL WORLD WAR II, THERE WERE TWO TICKET CLERKS HERE, BUT THEN AFTER THE WAR AND PASSENGER TRAFFIC DIED OFF, I REMEMBER JUST THE ONE TICKET WINDOW ON THE LEFT BEING OPEN.

>> SO, THIS FLOOR, THIS TILE FLOOR, LOOKS LIKE IT MUST BE ORIGINAL.

>> THE FLOOR IS ORIGINAL.

YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF PATCHES IN IT WHERE THE RAILROAD MADE SOME PATCHES.

IT WAS VERY HARD ON IT, THE 15 YEARS WAS ABANDONED BECAUSE WATER WAS RUNNING OVER THE FLOOR AND FREEZING, SO IT'S AMAZING IT SURVIVED.

AN INTERESTING THING TO THINK ABOUT, IN 1902, WHEN THESE WERE LAID, THEY DIDN'T COME GLUED >> ONE BY ONE.

>> AND EVERY ROOM IN THE BUILDING IS A DIFFERENT PATTERN AND A DIFFERENT COLOR.

>> AND THE BUILDING ITSELF IS FASCINATING.

IT HAS ITS OWN STORY TO TELL.

BUT YOU, AS A GROUP, HAVE COLLECTED A LOT OF THINGS.

THERE'S QUITE A COLLECTION.

IT CERTAINLY IS A MUSEUM AS WELL.

THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT OHIO RAILROADING AT UNION STATION.

>> YES.

>> MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.

I'D LOVE TO SEE THOSE.

>> IN THE DAYS WHEN THE STATION WAS OPEN, THIS ROOM WAS THE WOMEN'S LOUNGE.

AND THERE WERE FOLDING DOORS THERE, AND THE MEN DID NOT COME BEYOND THOSE FOLDING DOORS.

YOUNG MOTHER COULD COME HERE AND GET AWAY FROM THE SMOKE IN THE WAITING AREA.

WE MADE IT A DISPLAY ROOM FOR THE INTERLOCKING MACHINES AND THE OLDER STYLE SIGNALS THAT ARE DONE AWAY WITH.

>> EXPLAIN WHAT AN INTERLOCKING MACHINE IS.

>> IT GETS ITS NAME, INTERLOCKING, BECAUSE WHEN YOU PULL THE LEVERS, YOU CAN'T RUN A TRAIN INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER ONE.

IT'S A VERY EARLY FORM OF MECHANICAL COMPUTER.

>> YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF TRACKS CROSSING, AND YOU CAN ONLY LET ONE TRAIN GO AT A TIME SO THEY DON'T RUN INTO EACH OTHER.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO THE INTERLOCKING SYSTEM BASICALLY ALLOWED ONE PARTICULAR ROUTE AND LOCKED OUT THE OTHER ROUTES TO KEEP TRAINS FROM DOING WHAT THEY SHOULDN'T DO.

>> THAT'S IT.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT ALL THIS EQUIPMENT IS RELATED TO, THE SIGNALS THAT TELL YOU TO STOP OR GO OR SLOW DOWN.

>> THESE MACHINES CAME OUT OF ALL DIFFERENT TOWERS.

>> WELL, SPEAKING OF TOWERS AND CONTROLS AND SO ON, YOU ACTUALLY WORKED IN THE CONTROL TOWER, THE INTERLOCKING TOWER HERE IN MARION.

>> I DID.

>> THAT'S AC TOWER?

THAT STANDS FOR WHAT?

>> IT STOOD FOR ATLANTIC CROSSING, AND EVERY TOWER, IT GOES BACK TO THE TELEGRAPH AGE WITH THE MORSE CODE.

EVERY TOWER HAD CALL LETTERS SO WHEN THE DISPATCHER, WHO WAS YOUR BOSS, WANTED TO GET AHOLD OF YOU, ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS PUT THOSE TWO LETTERS ON THE MORSE CODE, AND YOU KNEW HE WAS CALLING YOU.

>> WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE A COMPLETE TOUR WITHOUT A VISIT TO AC TOWER.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND YOU'VE GOT THE KEY, I ASSUME?

YOU REMEMBER HOW TO RUN THE MACHINE.

>> YES.

>> LET'S GO HAVE A LOOK.

>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT.

>> LEAD THE WAY.

>> OKAY.

>> OH, MY, LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS EXACTLY HOW IT WAS SET UP WHEN IT WAS IN USE.

IT'S REMARKABLE IT SURVIVED INTACT LIKE THIS.

IT WAS IN OPERATION UNTIL THE DAY IT WAS READY TO MOVE, I ASSUME.

>> NOT QUITE.

IT CLOSED -- THIS CLOSED IN JANUARY OF 1995, AND WE SAVED IT AND MOVED IT OVER HERE, THANKSGIVING OF 1999.

>> OKAY.

>> BUT FORTUNATELY, THE RAILROADS LEFT THE ELECTRIC ON SO IT LOOKED LIT.

IT LOOKED OCCUPIED.

>> YOU GOT IT IN TIME.

>> YES.

>> AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL MACHINE.

>> THIS IS THE ORIGINAL MACHINE.

>> THIS IS REALLY REMARKABLE, AND THIS IS -- THIS IS BE INTERLOCKING MACHINE.

>> THIS IS THE INTERLOCKING MACHINE.

THE LEVERS CONTROLLED THE SWITCHES AND THE SIGNALS AND GUIDED THE TRAINS THROUGH THIS JUNCTION.

THIS IS THE OLDEST MACHINE THAT WE HAVE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1902, THE SAME YEAR AS THE STATION.

>> THAT'S REMARKABLE.

>> AND IT WAS IN USE 24 HOURS A DAY FROM 1902 UNTIL IT CLOSED IN 1995.

>> WOW.

93 YEARS.

AND I THINK I HEAR A TRAIN COMING.

>> WE HEAR A TRAIN COMING, YES.

>> WELL, IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S STILL IN USE.

WHY DON'T YOU GO SET THE PLANT UP SO THE TRAIN CAN GO THROUGH.

>> OKAY, I'LL TURN IT ON.

AND THAT TRAIN IS COMING THROUGH OVER HERE.

>> OH YEAH.

>> AND HE'S ON THAT TRACK.

WE'LL PUT HIM ON THE BOARD LIKE THIS.

AND YOU SEE, AS THE TRAIN ADVANCES THROUGH, IT DROPS THE TRACK CIRCUITS.

IT SHOWS THE TRACK CIRCUIT'S OCCUPIED, SO THIS IS SHOWING -- >> THAT'S SHOWING THAT TRAIN IS ACTUALLY OCCUPIED.

>> HERE COMES ONE OVER HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT HIM ON THE BOARD.

>> THEY'RE COMING THROUGH AT THE SAME TIME.

>> YES, THEY ARE.

>> THIS IS A REAL FAN'S DELIGHT.

>> YES, IT IS.

>> IT'S A BUSY RAILROAD JUNCTION STILL.

>> IT'S STILL A BUSY SPOT, YEAH.

>> THERE'S NOT MUCH LOCAL TRAFFIC, I ASSUME, WITH THE MARION POWER SHUFFLE GONE.

>> THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF LOCAL TRAFFIC.

>> WHAT SORT OF BUSINESS?

>> GRAIN AND ETHANOL.

>> OKAY.

>> AND STEEL.

THERE'S TWO SMALL STEEL PLANTS HERE.

>> OH, REALLY?

I DIDN'T REALIZE.

OKAY.

SO THERE'S SOME TRAFFIC COMING IN AND OUT OF MARION ITSELF.

>> YEAH, THERE IS.

>> BOY, THAT REALLY WAS A TREAT TO HAVE TWO TRAINS GOING BY AT THE SAME TIME, SEEING HOW THEY RUN ACROSS THE BOARD.

NOW, PEOPLE CAN VISIT BOTH THE STATION AND THE TOWER, RIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE OPEN.

BUT PEOPLE ARE WELCOME ON THE GROUNDS EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT OPEN.

STAY BACK FROM THE TRACKS, STAY BEHIND THE FENCE, STAY SAFE.

IT'S BEEN SUCH A GREAT VISIT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING ME.

FOR A REAL FAN LIKE ME, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HEAVEN, AND I'VE ALWAYS LIKED MARION AND UNION STATION, AND I HAVE TO SALUTE YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> AS COLUMBUS IS SPEEDING INTO THE FUTURE WITH ADVANCEMENTS IN TRANSPORTATION, THE DAYS WHERE TRAVEL WAS A LITTLE SLOWER ARE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND US.

IN FACT, THE OHIO EERIE CANAL WAS IN OPERATION JUST A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO HERE IN COLUMBUS, AND EVEN THE FUNCTION OF THE CANAL IS GONE, MANY COMMUNITIES, LIKE HISTORIC ROS CO-VILLAGE, ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE REMNANTS THAT ARE LEFT.

JEFF DARBEE HEADS TO THE VILLAGE TO SEE FOR HIMSELF.

>> ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF NORTHEAST OF COLUMBUS ON ROUTE 16 IS COSHOCTON.

ACROSS THE RIVER FROM DOWNTOWN COSHOCTON, LITTLE VILLAGE CALLED ROSCOE VILLAGE, AND THE REASON IT'S HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE OHIO AND ERIE CANAL.

WHEN THE CANAL CAME THROUGH BACK IN THE 1830s, IT WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER, AND THE CITY OF COSHOCTON'S ON THE EAST SIDE, SO ROSCOE GREW UP AROUND THE CANAL TERMINUS.

IT'S SORT OF A LIVING MUSEUM, YOU MIGHT SAY.

YOU CAN VISIT ALL THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

THERE'S SOME VERY NICE RESTAURANTS, VARIOUS SHOPS, AND DEFINITELY IS A PLACE WORTH SEEING, AND YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT HISTORY HERE.

SO, HERE WE ARE IN ROSCOE VILLAGE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY NICE VISIT TODAY.

>> HELLO, HI.

STACEY.

>> HELLO.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO.

WELCOME TO ROSCOE VILLAGE.

>> IT'S SUCH A GREAT PLACE.

THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY HERE.

I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES, BUT I HAVE A FEELING YOU CAN TELL ME MORE DETAIL THAN I KNOW.

>> I'M SURE I CAN.

>> THIS RUSTIC OLD BUILDING, THE RED ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S A BLACKSMITH?

>> YES, IT IS.

THIS IS OUR BLACKSMITH SHOP.

IT WAS BUILT AROUND 1890, AND WE HAVE A FELLOW INSIDE HERE WORKING QUITE HARD OVER AN OPEN FIRE.

>> I'M GLAD IT'S SUCH A WORKING PLACE.

>> IT IS.

LET'S GO DOWN THIS DIRECTION.

>> I KNOW THIS IS CALLED WHITEWOMAN STREET.

WHERE DID THAT NAME COME FROM?

>> THAT'S VERY INTERESTING AS WELL.

THIS USED TO BE AN OLD INDIAN TRAIL RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF WHERE OUR STREET IS LOCATED NOW, AND SEVERAL INDIAN TRIBES HAD RAIDED DEERFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND THEY TOOK SEVERAL CAPTIVES.

ONE OF THE CAPTIVES THAT THEY TOOK LIVED IN A TOWN THAT WAS KNOWN ALSO AS WHITEWOMAN TOWN, AND HER REAL NAME WAS MARY HARRIS.

WE HAD A LAND SCOUT IN 1751 THAT CAME THROUGH HERE.

HE WAS VERY SURPRISED TO FIND A WHITE WOMAN ALREADY LIVING IN THE AREA.

SHE ENJOYED HER TIME WITH THE INDIANS.

THEY TREATED HER VERY WELL.

>> ISN'T THAT INTERESTING?

YOU SAID THAT WAS IN THE 1700s?

>> YES, IT WAS.

>> AND THE NAME, ROSCOE, TELL ME WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

>> WELL, WILLIAM ROSCOE WAS AN ABOLITIONIST POET FROM ENGLAND.

HE PROBABLY NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A TOWN NAMED AFTER HIM.

THE ORIGINAL NAME OF THE TOWN WAS KALDERSBURG.

IT WAS MORE OF THE SOUTHERN END OF ROSCOE, AND THERE WERE SOME DIGNITARIES THAT WERE PETITIONING THE STATE TO HAVE THE CANAL COME THROUGH OUR AREA, AND THEY DECIDED CALDERSBURGH HAS A VERY OLD SOUND TO IT.

WE NEED SOMETHING PEPPY, SOMETHING NEW, AND SO THEY REALLY LIKED THAT NAME, ROSCOE.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING.

SO, ROSCOE PREDATED BOTH COSHOCTON ITSELF AND THE CANAL.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

THIS BUILDING HERE, IT SAID THE TALL HOUSE ON THE SIDE.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> RIGHT.

THIS WAS THE TOLL COLLECTOR'S HOUSE.

ONE OF OUR FIRST TOLL COLLECTORS WAS JACOB WELSH, AND THIS HOME WAS BUILT IN 1840, SO THE CANAL BOATS WOULD STOP, PAY THE TOLL THAT WAS OWED FOR USING THE LOCKS.

THE BUILDING RIGHT HERE WAS AN OLD WAREHOUSE.

>> THIS IS A WONDERFUL BUILDING TOO.

WE SAW IT COMING INTO TOWN.

THE STONE PILLARS ARE REALLY UNUSUAL AND THE FACT THAT IT'S PRESERVED SO WELL.

>> YES.

>> AND IT'S NOW A RESTAURANT, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> IT IS A RESTAURANT.

>> THIS IS NOT THE ONLY NICE OLD BUILDING.

THERE'S SEVERAL OTHERS ACROSS THE STREET.

THE STEP GABLES.

THAT'S A SURE SIGN OF EARLY ARCHITECTURE.

>> OH, IT IS.

THE ONE RIGHT HERE ON THE CORNER, THAT WAS OUR OLD HOTEL.

>> OH, IT WAS?

>> YOU CAN SEE UP ABOVE THE BALCONY, IT'S SAID THE WOMEN WOULD STAND UP ON THE BALCONY AND WAIT FOR THEIR HUSBANDS TO RETURN BACK HOME, PERHAPS ON THE STAGECOACH OR ON THE CANAL BOATS.

>> AND I SAW OVER HERE, THERE'S A LITTLE RED COTTAGE THAT LOOKS REALLY INTERESTING.

>> THAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1825.

THAT WAS THE HOME OF DANIEL BOYD.

HE WAS OUR WEAVER HERE IN ROSCOE.

>> HE DID PRETTY MUCH ALL THE CLOTH-MAKING.

>> HE DID ALL THE CLOTH-MAKING, YES.

>> SO YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE EXPERT ON ALL THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, BLACKSMITH, THE WEAVER, THE STOREKEEPERS, THE DOCTORS.

>> THEY HAD TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE CANAL BOATS CAME THROUGH HERE.

>> IT HAD TO BE A SELF-SUFFICIENT COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS IT COULD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT ROSCOE AND MORE ABOUT THE CANAL AND MORE THAN I KNEW BEFORE.

BUT OF COURSE, IT FEELS A LITTLE INCOMPLETE UNLESS I ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE THE CANAL.

THERE'S A BOAT RIDE THAT I THINK WE CAN TAKE.

>> THERE CERTAINLY IS.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THE BOAT RIDE.

>> LET'S HEAD THAT WAY THEN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> OH, LOOK AT THIS OUT ON DECK, OUT IN THE SUN AND THE BREEZE.

WHAT A GREAT RIDE THIS IS.

4 MILES AN HOUR FEELS PRETTY GOOD COMPARED TO THE HIGHWAY.

>> IT DOES.

>> THIS IS MUCH MORE CHARMING THAN A FREEWAY.

VERY RELAXING.

>> IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT TAXES THE HORSES VERY MUCH.

THEY'RE JUST STROLLING.

>> THEY ARE STROLLING ALONG.

>> DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS PIECE OF CANAL IS?

>> THIS IS ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF SECTION THAT THEY'VE RESTORED.

>> WOW.

THAT'S GREAT.

>> WE'LL GO DOWN TO THE END TO A BASIN AND THEN THEY'LL TURN THE BOAT AROUND AND WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME BOAT LANDING.

>> WELL, THIS HAS BEEN JUST GREAT, LEARNING WHAT IT'S LIKE, ACTUALLY, TO BE ON THE CANAL, YOU KNOW, YOU UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, THE FACT THAT THE CANAL BOATS ARE IN DAY AND NIGHT.

PEOPLE ACTUALLY SLEPT, ATE ON BOARD.

THEY DIDN'T GET OFF THE BOAT.

THEY JUST CONTINUED ON.

SO, TO REALLY EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE, KNOWING SOME CANAL HISTORY BUT REALLY EXPERIENCING IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

>> ALTHOUGH STREET CARS ARE MAKING A RESURGENCE IN SOME CITIES, IN COLUMBUS, THEY WERE AN IMPORTANT MODE OF TRANSPORTATION RIGHT UP UNTIL THE MID 20th CENTURY.

MOST REMNANTS OF THE STREETCAR ERA HAVE DISAPPEARED NOW, BUT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS NOT ONLY MANAGED TO HOLD ON TO THEIR BUILDINGS BUT INCORPORATE THEM INTO A LOCAL DESTINATION.

JEFF DARBEE CHECKS OUT THE NEW HISTORIC TROLLEY DISTRICT ON THE EAST SIDE.

>> WE'RE DRIVING EAST ON OAK STREET JUST OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

OAK STREET IS ONE OF THE STREETS THAT WAS SERVED BY THE STREETCARS, AND IN THOSE DAYS, NOBODY LIVED IN COLUMBUS ANY MORE THAN THREE BLOCKS FROM A STREETCAR LINE.

IT REALLY WAS REMARKABLE HOW EASY IT WAS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND WITHOUT A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY, BECAUSE THE STREETCARS WERE SO ACCESSIBLE.

WE'RE HEADED TO WHAT USED TO BE A BIG COMPLEX FOR THE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY HERE IN COLUMBUS.

THESE ARE KNOWN AS THE TROLLEY BARNS TODAY.

THEY WERE EMPTY FOR A LONG TIME.

THEY WERE IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP BY AN OWNER WHO REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.

FINALLY, WERE ACQUIRED BY LOCAL DEVELOPER, AND THEIR REBIRTH HAS BEGUN.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY GOOD VISIT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE TODAY.

>> HI, BRAD.

>> HI, JEFF.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> WOW, WHAT A PLACE.

WHAT A CHANGE.

>> I KNOW.

>> THIS IS A LOT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT USED TO BE, AND I NOTICED IT EVEN HAS ITS TRACKS BACK AGAIN.

>> YEAH, WE PUT THESE BACK IN ABOUT LAST YEAR.

THE TRACKS DID KIND OF RUN IN TWO PARALLEL LINES, AND IT WAS UNDER ASPHALT.

THERE HISTORICALLY WAS NOT A BASEMENT UNDER THIS.

WE DUG OUT A 15-FOOT BASEMENT AND WE WANTED TO ADD SOME OF THESE DETAILS LIKE IN THE ENTRY, HAVING THIS SWITCH THAT KIND OF RUNS THROUGH AND IT OUTLINES THE PATHWAYS OF THE MARKET.

>> I REMEMBER SEEING THIS COMPLEX GETTING WORSE OVER THE YEARS.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN A CHALLENGE TO TAKE IT ON.

>> IT WAS.

THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA WERE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT TRYING TO KEEP THE HISTORIC FABRIC, AS WE ARE AS A DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, SO IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO PLAN IT OUT.

THIS HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR A FEW YEARS.

>> SO, WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IS THE MAIN BUILDING HERE, KNOWN AS THE EAST MARKET, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE CITY USED TO HAVE PUBLIC MARKETS.

NORTH MARKET IS STILL THERE.

WEST MARKET IS GONE.

CENTRAL MARKET IS GONE.

BUT EAST MARKET IS BACK AGAIN, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST GREAT, THAT THERE'S THIS PUBLIC MARKET FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR ALL OF THE CITY.

>> WE LOOKED AT IT AS, THIS AREA WAS A FOOD DESERT.

WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN THIS AREA TO WHERE THE COMMUNITY COULD COME IN, HAVE A SELECTION, PEOPLE WITH LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES COULD COME IN AND PLY THEIR TRADE.

>> I CAN SEE THE OLD BUILDING.

CLEARLY IT'S STILL HERE, THE BRICK WALLS, THE WOOD STRUCTURE.

HOW DID YOU APPROACH MAKING THIS INTO A MARKETPLACE?

>> SO, WE HAD EXCAVATED THE ENTIRE BASEMENT, ABOUT 15 FEET BELOW US, AND WE HAD SUPPORT POLES ON THE OUTER WALLS HOLDING IT UP, AND THERE WAS A HUGE STORM THAT CAME THROUGH, AND ACTUALLY PUSHED IN THE WALL OVER HERE ON THE NORTH END, AND WE HAD TO DO A DEMOLITION, THEN, OF THAT WALL.

BUT WHAT IT ALLOWED US TO DO, ALSO, WAS WHEN WE HAD IT PULLED OUT, WE GOT TO COME THROUGH AND WE CREATED A STEEL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE BUILDING THAT ALLOWED US TO MAKE AN EVENT SPACE UPSTAIRS.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BECAUSE THESE OLD BUILDINGS ARE REUSABLE, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY COMPLY WITH CURRENT CODES, AND MAY HAVE TO DO A LOT OF UPDATING.

>> YEAH.

>> AND YOU FOUND A WAY TO DO IT ECONOMICALLY.

IT WAS A CERTIFIED HISTORIC REHABILITATION AS I RECALL.

>> YES.

THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND STATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES REALLY MAKE IT A POSSIBILITY.

>> LET'S GO SEE SOME MORE.

>> SOUNDS GREAT.

>> SO, WHAT SPACE ARE WE IN NOW?

>> THIS IS RAIL HOUSE.

THE RAIL HOUSE IS OUR EATERY/TAVERN AND WHAT WE DID IS IN THE MARKET SPACE, WE WENT WITH WHITE, CLEAN, SEMI-STERILE COLORS TO INVOKE DAYTIME, BUT AS YOU COME INTO RAIL HOUSE, THIS IS CONVERTIBLE FOR NIGHT.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE WALL HERE.

>> SO, THE BLOCKS THAT ARE ON THE WALL ARE ACTUALLY BLOCKS THAT WERE IN THE FLOOR OF THE BLACKSMITH SHOP.

SO, THE BLACK SMITH SHOP IS PART OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE COLUMBUS BREWING COMPANY'S FLAGSHIP RESTAURANT.

THESE BLOCKS WERE REPURPOSED TO BE USED FOR ARTWORK HERE.

I THINK WE BROUGHT OUT 4,000 OF THEM.

>> WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY TO BULLDOZE THEM UP AND THROW THEM AWAY.

>> THEY LOOK LIKE BRICKS ON THE FLOOR AND WE PULLED THEM UP AND FOUND OUT THEY ARE WITH WOOD.

>> THEY ABSORB OIL, THE FLOOR DOESN'T GET SLIPPERY.

BUT IT DOES CHANGE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE TOO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, WE DID -- WE CLEAR-COATED EVERYTHING HERE AND SEALED ALL THAT IN.

BUT YEAH.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE ARTWORK.

IT'S A GREAT PICTURE.

>> WE WERE REFERRED TO AN ARTIST NAMED DUART, AND WE HAD HISTORIC PHOTOS OF ALL THE TROLLEY CARS, AND HE WAS SO GOOD THAT HE LITERALLY JUST TOOK THE PHOTOS THAT WE HAD -- I MEAN, HE CAME BACK WITH ONE DRAFT, AND WE WERE JUST LIKE, WOW.

IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN WE COULD HAVE EVEN IMAGINED.

THE TOP RIGHT BUILDING UP THERE IS ACTUALLY -- IT'S THE WEST CAR BARN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE IN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE PAINT SHOP.

>> YEP.

>> THE DIFFERENT TIME FRAMES OF TROLLEY CARS, ALL OF THESE WERE SIGNIFICANT TO COLUMBUS, AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BUSES.

WE FEEL LIKE WE GOT AN INCREDIBLE PIECE FOR THE TIME.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

IT'S A WONDERFUL SPACE.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, THERE'S ONE LAST PLACE I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU.

>> OH, OF COURSE.

GLAD TO LOOK AT IT.

>> SOUNDS GREAT.

>> BRAD, ANOTHER GREAT SPACE.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

>> THIS IS THE SPEAKEASY THAT WE HAVE.

WE'RE BELOW THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS CALLED SWITCH.

AND WE NAMED IT SWITCH BECAUSE OUT HERE, JUST OUTSIDE, IS WHERE THEY HAD ALL THE SWITCH GEAR FOR THE TROLLEY CARS WHEN THEY WOULD PICK A DIRECTION AS TO WHICH WAY THEY WERE GOING TO GO.

SO, THIS ACTUALLY WAS THE ONLY THREE ROOMS THAT WERE A BASEMENT OF THIS BUILDING, WHICH IS NOW THE EAST MARKET.

WE DUG A BASEMENT UNDER ANOTHER 14,000 SQUARE FEET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL BEHIND US, BUT THEY HAVE THESE BARREL BRICK WALLS, AND WE HAD TO REMOVE ALL THE BRICK FOR THESE ARCHES AS WELL PUT A PRECAST FLOORING SYSTEM ABOVE IT TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT.

AND THEN WE REBUILT ALL OF THESE AS THEY HISTORICALLY WERE.

ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT IS ALL THE PAVERS THAT WE'RE STANDING ON WERE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING AREA OUTSIDE.

>> THE OLD BRICK.

>> ALL THE PAVERS.

WE CLEANED A TOTAL OF 11,000 PAVERS, AND WE USED SOME OF THEM OUTSIDE.

>> YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS INCREDIBLE.

AND THIS LOOKS LIKE A VERY PRIVATE, SMALL SPACE.

HOW DO YOU USE THE SPACE IN HERE?

IT'S CALLED THE SPEAKEASY FOR A REASON.

>> IT IS SPEAKEASY.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS OPEN TO EVERYBODY, BUT LIKE A TRUE SPEAKEASY, WE SPECIALIZE IN WHISKEY AND BOURBON AND IN ORDER TO GET IN, THAT DOOR OUTSIDE IS LOCKED AT ALL TIMES, SO ON THURSDAY -- RIGHT NOW, ON THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, IF YOU PURCHASE A DRINK UPSTAIRS AT RAIL HOUSE ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR INVOICE IS A PASSWORD.

YOU COME DOWN, KNOCK ON THE DOOR, AND THE BARTENDER WILL OPEN AND LET YOU IN.

>> SO, WITHOUT A PASSWORD, AL CAPONE COULD NOT GET IN.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> WELL, THIS IS A SPECTACULAR TOUR YOU'VE GIVEN US AT A GREAT REHABILITATION PROJECT.

WHAT FUTURE PLANS DO YOU HAVE COMING UP?

>> SO, THIS IS THE LARGEST OF ALL THE BUILDINGS, AND OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS THE MOST INTRICATE BECAUSE OF THE MARKET AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEHIND US RIGHT NOW, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

BUT THIS IS ONE OF FIVE BUILDINGS.

THE SECOND BUILDING WE'RE DOING IS WHAT USED TO BE CALLED THE MECHANIC SHOP AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE THE TROLLEY CARS IN, DO THEIR WORK, TURN THEM AROUND AND SEND THEM OUT.

THAT IS GOING TO BE COLUMBUS BREWING COMPANY.

>> SO, YOU SEE ALL OF THE REMAINING BUILDINGS GETTING DEVELOPED OVER TIME.

>> SO, WE HAVE TENANTS FOR ALMOST ALL, AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, THE LARGE BUILDING, 25,000 SQUARE FEET ON THE FAR EAST SIDE IS THE EAST CAR BARN, AND THE EAST CAR BARN RIGHT NOW HAS THE WALL DOWN, AND THEY'RE REBUILDING THAT STRUCTURE BECAUSE PARTWAY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT, WHEN WE OPENED UP THE ROOF, IN BETWEEN THE BRICK, ALL OF THE MORTAR HAD ERODED.

>> THAT DOES HAPPEN.

>> YES, AND WE HAD TO GO BACK AND TAKE IT ALL DOWN, CLEAN THE BRICK.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO CERTAIN THINGS TO MAKE SURE THE SPACE IS STABLE.

BUT YOU'VE OVERLAID ANOTHER LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT GIVES A WONDERFUL CHARACTER TO THE PLACE.

I HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR SUCH A GREAT TOUR AND FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB HERE AND BEING WILLING TO COME TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE EAST MARKET HERE AT THE OLD TROLLEY CAR.

>> MY PLEASURE, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR COLUMBUS.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG, PLUS SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP, AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com