Other names Bill Lee Station Station code CIP | Line(s) Sunset Limited Closed 2005 | |
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Location 675 7th Street
Chipley, FL Parking free short-term, paid overnight | ||
Chipley station is a former intercity railroad station in Chipley, Florida. It is the closest station to Panama City, Florida. It is currently the headquarters of the Washington County Historical Society. The grounds include two former train stations: the Louisville and Nashville Depot and Bill Lee Station. The station was served by Amtrak's Sunset Limited train until service was suspended after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Amtrak has proposed reopening the station as part of a restored Sunset Limited route in the future.
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History
Chipley, Florida, named for William Dudley Chipley, came into existence as a stop on the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad around 1882. The P&A was absorbed by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, who built the Louisville and Nashville Depot in downtown Chipley. Later, rail service was moved to a smaller building close to the tracks, Bill Lee Station. This served as Chipley's stop on Amtrak's Sunset Limited until 2005, when Amtrak suspended the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The old L&N depot became a farmers' market and the headquarters of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. In 2010, the Washington County Historical Society acquired the site, including both buildings, and adapted them as a museum and headquarters.