By Andy Rieger
As if on cue, freight trains rolling through Norman paused just long enough for some music, remarks and some old-fashioned visiting Friday afternoon as the historic depot celebrated its 100th birthday.
The red-brick building's centennial luncheon was part of a week-long series of events which included train car displays, model-train sets, oral histories, music and an essay contest.
Mayor Cindy Rosenthal, whose grandfather was a conductor for an Ohio railroad, has a fond memory of trains. She noted the 100th anniversary comes as Amtrak's Heartland Flyer marks 10 years of service to central Oklahoma.
"Trains have a very special place in most people's heats," she said, noting the Depot and nearby Interurban station on Main Street provided an early transportation hub for Norman.
"Trains have provided the soundtrack for downtown for the last 122 years," Rosenthal said.
When the first passenger train rolled through Norman in 1887, few envisioned 40 plus trains rolling through Norman each day. The future looks even heavier with talk of double-tracking for a commuter line and Heartland Flyer northern expansion.
"Trust me, you will continue to hear train whistles in the city of Norman," the mayor said.
The building, opened Nov. 18, 1909, replaced a wooden shed that served the station for several years. A citizens committee petitioned for a new depot building fitting a university community. Passenger train travel began in 1887, ceased in 1979, and resumed in 1999.
The depot is also home to a performing arts studio and is booked for concerts, art shows and private events. "We are proud to call this depot our home," said the studio's executive director Debra Levy Martinelli.
