Museum

The Tenino Depot Museum

This museum is housed in the last railroad depot building that served Tenino.  The structure was built in 1914 of Tenino sandstone though most small-town depots in the west were of wood frame construction.

This depot replaced the town’s second station which was abandoned when the Northern Pacific Railroad rerouted the Tenino-to-Tacoma section of its track.  It served passengers until the early 1950’s and was used for freight into the 1960’s.  Burlington Northern released the building and local citizens raised $30,000 to move it to its present location.  The move took place in 1975.  The building was opened as a museum in 1979.  It is on the Washington State Register of Historical Places and also on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The museum is operated by the South Thurston County Historical Society.  The building is owned and maintained by the City of Tenino.  The museum houses exhibits on Tenino sandstone and Tenino’s wooden money from the Great Depression, railroad memorabilia, a 1920’s doctor’s office display, items from the logging industry, artifacts from Washington’s first territorial prison, and a variety of other items.

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This site was last updated on:  Friday, March 12, 2010 08:34 AM