South Carolina Department of Archives and History
National Register Properties in South Carolina

Belton Depot, Anderson County (Public Square, Belton)
S1081770400501 S1081770400502 S1081770400503 S1081770400504 S1081770400505
Left Oblique Left Rear Oblique Right Elevation Right Rear Oblique Tower Detail
S1081770400506 S1081770400507 S1081770400508 S1081770400509 S1081770400510
Window Detail Cargo Doors
Rehabbed as windows
Old Belton Depot
c.1909
Belton Depot c. 1915 Belton Depot c. 1915

(Southern Railway Combined Depot) The Belton Depot is significant for its historical association with the railroad’s role in the development of Belton. It is also architecturally significant as an example of the prevailing turn of the century genre for depot design. This one-story brick depot, constructed ca. 1910, remains the focal point in downtown Belton. Situated on the west side of the Belton Public Square, the Belton Depot was built by the Southern Railway to replace earlier station facilities housed in several small buildings. The original plans credit the design to the company’s Office of Chief Engineer in Washington; however, the specific architect remains unknown. The rectangular plan features a prominent tin shingle hip roof with flared eaves supported by massive wooden diagonal brackets. The section housing the freight area is topped by a lower profile hipped roof. Brick walls are laid in common bond with stringcourses and segmented arch window and door openings. The depot was designed for a combination of passenger, office and freight storage uses. The railroad played a principle part in the development of Belton, which was incorporated in December 1855. The land was surveyed for rail use in 1849, and in 1853, the first train passed through Belton. The present railroad depot provided facilities for the textile industries which were located in and near Belton in the early twentieth century. Listed in the National Register August 13, 1979.

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