The town of Cleveland was once known as Coleman’s Station, located halfway between Memphis, Tennessee and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The new name was a homage to President Grover Cleveland. It is said that he was one of the first train passengers to travel through Cleveland. The steam engines traveling through in the early days transported timber thereby allowing for the clearing of land and the settlement of industry. Following this initiative merchants capitalized on an opportunity to take up residence.
The railroad museum is owned by the City of Cleveland. Built in 1884, the rail tracks are no longer lining the streets of Cleveland. The last train whistled through in 1995. The Mayor at that time was Martin T. King and it was his desire to preserve the heritage and importance of rail transport. The facility houses one of the largest three rail O gauge model train layout in the entire southeast measuring 71’ x 17’. It is home to thousands of railroad artifacts that capture the history of what the railroad industry was all about. The addition of the 1941 Illinois Central caboose is a special treat. There are memorabilia, photos, documents, and some of the tools used by rail crews who were known as “Gandy Dancers.”
Aspects of the museum exhibitions change periodically and range from early rail and timber to the blues music created around life, living, and traveling the rails. Mississippians take great pride in how the economy and the arts connect across regions. There has been much conversation centered around blues music and the railroads in the Mississippi Delta. Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and W. C. Handy and others felt a connection to the railroad and it is a well-known fact that “Gandy Dancers” always sang work songs as they slung the hammer down and laid the rails along the tracks.
The mission of the museum is to preserve and promote the history and culture of the railroad and the impact it has made on the Mississippi Delta. It is a great place to take children. There is a lot offered here that will ignite the childhood spirit found in the heart of everyone.