The Dennison Railroad Depot is located halfway between Pittsburgh and Columbus. A century ago, 3,000 railroaders worked in the Dennison Yards, and 22-passenger train a day stopped at the depot. These same rails became part of the National Strategic Defense Railway Route, critical to transporting troops and supplies for two World Wars. The Servicemen’s Canteen that served 1.5 million soldiers during WWI and WWII, earning Dennison the nickname Dreamsville, USA.
Yet by the 1980s, the railroad had essentially disappeared and Dennison was turning into a ghost town.
By doing every fundraiser imaginable and partnering with the local joint vocational school, the Depot was restored and reopened in 1989. Downtown Placemaking has been successful by using local history as the foundation. The community has invested over $6 million into the Dennison Depot and surrounding campus, composed of two restored steam engines, a victory garden, and a gazebo. The town is once again vibrant thanks to authentic experiences that could only happen in Dennison, Ohio.
The award was presented to Dennison Railroad Depot Museum