May 4, 2001

The groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration of the Union Pacific railway depot in Brinkley (Monroe County) was held. The property, which had been in danger of destruction, was deeded to the city of Brinkley in 2001 with a long-term lease given to the Central Delta Historical Society for use as a museum to preserve the general history of the area with special emphasis on stories of the Rock Island and Cotton Belt railway lines, which had helped the city establish its identity as a commercial hub during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The museum, which opened in 2003 as the Central Delta Depot Museum, includes photos and exhibits and a large collection of early 78 r.p.m. records of Brinkley native Louis Jordan.