The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company, chartered in 1833 in Augusta, Ga., is where the first railroad train in Georgia operated from. Located at the edge of the James Brown Arena parking lot, across from the post office on Eighth Street in downtown Augusta, is an arch with the company’s values of courtesy, safety and service.
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This arch is the only remaining part of the railroad shops, located where the James Brown Arena currently is, and the main Union Station and Barrett Plaza that were replaced by the U.S. Post Office.
The Arch
Looking towards Eighth Street and the U.S. Post Office, the arch still stands due to Clemens de Baillou, the director of the Augusta Museum of History from 1964 to 1977. He pushed to keep the arch as a reminder of what once was. Behind it, the James Brown Arena can be seen standing where the railroad shops were.
U.S. Post Office
The building that replaced Union Station and Barrett Plaza.
Courtesy
One of the three main values of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company.
Service
Another of the three main values of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company.
Safety
The last of the three main values of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company.
St. Julian Cox, III is a photojournalist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at saintjulianc@gmail.com.
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