By Jonathon Gonzales

After being closed for over 50 years, the Kyle Railroad Depot and Heritage Center will make its grand reopening Sunday.  

The reopening this week comes on the anniversary of the day that the land used to found the city of Kyle was auctioned off by the International and Great Northern Railroad Company. 

It’s an occasion that members of the Hays County Historical Commission have been hard at work to ensure comes to fruition.

“We’re really trying to keep that story going,” said Trish Randow of the Hays County Historical Commission. “It brings tourism to the area, but it also reminds us of our beginnings.”

Originally opened as a water stop for trains that needed to cool off their steam-engines, the depot ran until 1965 when it was shut down. 

It was then auctioned off in 1967 and the depot was moved from the site. However, it was finally moved back in 2003 and discussions for the renovations began as early as 2011.

The new site will provide tourists and locals alike the opportunity to look back on life in 1900s and what train-travel was like in those days. 

There will be a short documentary to watch on the founding of Kyle for those who visit. The center will be furnished with replicas of items from the time period. 

There’s still more work to be done, but the historical commission hopes this initial venture will interest people enough to revisit and see how the center grows with time.

“It will give people a sense of what life was like, and it will give them something to enjoy.”  Randow said about the reopening of the center. “I hope that everybody comes out for this moment.”