In 1871, Kernersville was incorporated. Two years later, with the arrival of the North Carolina Railroad, the Kernersville Depot was built.  The line was built to connect Greensboro with Winston-Salem.  Citizens of Kernersville, led by various members of the Kerner family, raised $10,000, and Joe Kerner supervised the building of a four-mile section of tract to bring the railroad through Kernersville. 

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     The Depot opened in 1873, with Richard P. Kerner serving as freight and passenger agent, telegrapher, and express agent, a position he held for forty years.  The arrival of the railroad, which brought cheap, reliable transportation to nearby markets, marked the beginning of an economic boom period for the community.

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     Until the turn of the 20th century, the Depot continued to be the hub of Kernersville’s industry, connecting the town to the rest of the state. When the Southern Railroad Company began consolidating the rail system across the southeast, it built a new depot in 1940 across the tracks from the original. While the new building was in operation, the Depot was used as a storage facility.

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     In 1986, the newer building was demolished.  The original depot remains standing and is the second oldest railroad building west of the fall line. 

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    Kernersville Downtown Preservation and Development Committee in 1998, moved the original Depot to its current location, and restored through funds donated by the Harmon Linville Estate.

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Information provided by Kernersville National Registry

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Tours of the Depot are available by appointment. To schedule a tour of the Depot call us at: 336-497-4869.