By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

In its heyday, the railroad depot in Dexter was a center of activity. Folks boarded the train, headed for visits or business on up the rail line; salesmen and family arrived at the busiest and fastest-growing town in the county. Goods made in Dexter were shipped out of the depot; new goods arrived for the growing community right at the depot.

Dexter - the city - was actually created by the railroad. In a history of the community written for Dexter’s Centennial in 1973, it was noted that the Cairo, Arkansas and Texas Railroad Company (CAT) planned to build a depot along what would be Main Street … and thus the depot had a home in Dexter.

It was around this depot that Dexter grew.

“The railroad company laid out the town, and the sale of lots began on the 4th of July,” wrote the late Wilson Jarrell in a history published in the Dexter Centennial Cookbook in 1973. Jarrell wrote that on the day of the sale – July 4, 1873 - “the largest crowd ever assembled in Stoddard County gathered in Dexter to witness and participate in this sale. Even though much of the land was covered with water, a good deal of the land was sold.”

Dexter was born, and the hub of the city was established – at the depot.

Now, after years of being overlooked and in disrepair, the Dexter depot has come alive again as the Dexter Welcome Center – complete with displays of Dexter’s past and the people who helped make the community a special place.

“I just love this building,” said Angie Williamson, Tourism/Marketing Director for the Welcome Center. Williamson is enthusiastic about the center and about the history that is now showcased in the 'new' depot.

Through years of careful work, the depot has been restored – the hardwood floors are now brilliant, the walls painted in subtle tones, windows replaced and now gleam, and displays showcase Dexter’s heritage.

“This is my favorite photo,” Williamson said as she proudly stood by a photograph of the first Miss Dexter and her court. It’s a striking photo of five young Dexter women – the queen and her court from the first contest held in 1934 at the old Weeks Theater. Featured is the first Miss Dexter - Veda Pruit and her court, lsa Sharon Smith, Pauline Burton, Irene Gaines, and Mary Irons.

Displays are currently featured that highlight the sacrifices of Dexter’s veterans, as well as displays on local businesses and institutions.

“Now, this receives a lot of comments,” Williamson said as she led the way to on old-fashioned machine used for giving women permanents in their hair. Actually, the gizmo looks a little creepy – almost something out of an old black & white horror movie.

“They say the smell was horrendous. Women who’ve come in here say if you ever smelled a permanent from one of these machines you won’t ever forget it,” she said.

Williamson has big plans for the Welcome Center and wants to highlight not only Dexter’s heritage, but be a hub of activity – just as the depot was in the heyday of rail traffic.

“I want the Depot to be busy – full of people,’” she said. Plans are on the drawing board for activities this fall to open the doors of the depot and invite the community in for events, open houses, and meetings. In addition, plans are in the works for local model railroad enthusiast Pete Parysek to install a model railroad in the facility.

The Dexter Welcome Center and Depot is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and on Saturday fro 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Depot is located at 10 S. W. Main Street in the Downtown Dexter district.