South Florida Railway Museum

History:

The historic Seaboard Air Line railway station is home to the Museum. The station was built in 1926 during the Seaboard's push into South Florida to compete with Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway. The building is a fine example of the Mediterranean style architecture of the era, with its arched entryway, stucco walls, and barrel tile roof. It is one of the few remaining structures to display the look of old Deerfield. The structure was listed as a Historic Site with the State of Florida Department of Archives in 1974 and earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

For many years the station and surrounding area were an important produce shipping center, with farmers from Pompano to Lake Okeechobee renting warehouses. In 1942, the Army Air Corps took over the warehouses to store materials for building a base in nearby Boca Raton. The station has also played host to many historic passenger trains over the years. From the Orange Blossom Special and the Seaboard's famous Silver Fleet to the City Of Miami, East Coast Champion, and the Sunset Limited many travelers began their Florida vacations on our platform. Still important to rail transportation in the area, the station is served by Amtrak and Tri-Rail, South Florida's commuter rail system.

In 1990, renovations began a new era for the old station. Extensive repairs, including replacing much of the roof and floor of the structure, restored the station to its original appearance. This renovation also created space for the Museum in the old freight room. The Museum has plans for the future as well, including enclosing the open freight platform to provide more space for exhibits and displays, and the acquisition of significant pieces of prototype equipment to add to our collection.

In 1999/2000 the Tri-Rail Authority completed the station renovations and double tracking through the Deerfield Beach station. The renovations included new parking and easier handicapped access to both sides of track access. The station is a proud piece of history that is a showcase for the Citizens of the State of Florida, the City of Deerfield Beach, the Deerfield Beach Historical Society and ourselves.