Rock Hill Depot Decorative Dish Collection - Accession 1768

Authors

Rock Hill Train Station

Files

Identifier

Accession 1768

Inclusive Dates

1973

Restrictions

Open under the rules and regulations of the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections

Collection Size

2 pieces

Language

English;

Scope and Content Note

The Rock Hill Depot Decorative Dish Collection consists of two commemorative ceramic dishes featuring images of the Rock Hill Depot of the Southern Railway System in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The dishes were sponsored by the Twilight Home and Garden Club of Rock Hill and were produced to commemorate the historical significance of the city’s railroad depot.

Both dishes display photographic images taken by Joel Nichols Jr., a longtime staff photographer at Winthrop University, whose work documented significant landmarks and events in the Rock Hill area. One dish presents a color image of the depot, while the other features a black-and-white image, offering contrasting visual interpretations of the structure.

The Rock Hill Depot was constructed by J. C. Dickson of Durham, North Carolina, and opened to the public on June 29, 1912. Located on Trade Street in downtown Rock Hill, the depot occupied a strategic position where the Columbia (north–south) Division of the Southern Railway intersected with the Charleston (east–west) Division. The building was notable as one of the few two-level passenger stations in the United States, reflecting the importance of Rock Hill as a regional transportation hub in the early twentieth century. The depot remained a prominent feature of the city’s landscape until it was razed in the summer of 1973.

Together, these decorative dishes serve as commemorative artifacts that document the architectural, transportation, and community history of Rock Hill and reflect local efforts to preserve and celebrate the memory of a landmark that played a central role in the city’s development.

Provenance

The first dish (colored) was donated by Mrs. Jordan in January 2022, while the second dish (black and white) was given by the York Co. Library in March 2022. Also, a 1973 article from the Evening Herald located in Joel Nichols’ Biographical file provides a brief history behind the plate as well as the Rock Hill Depot of the Southern Railway System

Copyright

For information concerning copyright please contact the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University.

Finding Aid Citation

Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, Winthrop University, "Rock Hill Depot Decorative Dish Collection - Accession 1768". Finding Aid 1563.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/manuscriptcollection_findingaids/1563