"Our Town Cleveland:" Historic Train Depot

They don't come through as much as they use to,and they no longer carry passengers.

A century after it was built, freight cars still pass by the old Train Depot in downtown Cleveland.

"It was a busy place. It was a hub of our commerce at that time," says Mayor Tom Rowland.

When Rowland came to Cleveland in the 1960s, the Depot was the busiest part of town.

Located in 5 points, the Southern Railway Train Station served as the final destination for many generations of Clevelanders.

"It was just a place to assemble. It's the way towns were back in those days. People came to trade and swap," says Rowland.

The depot's history spans the 20th century. It was built in 1906. Soldiers used the rails to head off to war and back. Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt stopped off there.

Now, decades after it was boarded up, the train depot is coming back to life.

"There are restoration efforts planned as we speak. Some grants have been applied for," says Rowland.

Rowland hopes to renovate the building and reopen it as a bus center.

" It will be used for the Cleveland Urban Transit Center. As a transfer point where folks can buy tickets and enjoy our bus service."