Our office is in Rockwall's restored Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT
or Katy) train depot. Dr. Frank Miller rescued this wonderful building
in 1984 and had it moved from its original location, on the MKT
tracks where they cross Townsend Drive, to its current location
on Goliad (Hwy 205), one block south of the post office.
This was Rockwall's second train station, built in 1925 after Rockwall's
first station, built in 1897, was lost to a fire. The new station
continued to serve the residents of Rockwall County well into the
1950's.
It was later used as a feed store and warehouse until Dr. Frank decided to restore it for use as an orthodontic office. "I thought it would be fun to preserve something that was a part of Rockwall, but the station just looked so bad from the outside," he recalls. Luckily, the material used in construction was virgin oak and East Texas white pine, and it was in very good shape under a solid roof and many coats of paint.
After several trips to the MKT headquarters in Denison and conversations
with some old railroad men, the building was restored with a remarkable
degree of authenticity. All paint colors match those originally
used. The exterior is two shades of Katy green used almost a century
ago. The interior walls are buff and brown.
The original oak and pine floors have been refinished throughout
the building and a pot-bellied stove sits in the reception room
as it would have when a similar version would have provided heat
for waiting passengers. The station master's office serves as the
business office, and what was once the freight area has been converted
into an open, inviting treatment area. Very little of the floor
plan has been altered and railroad memorabilia fills the walls.
The building has been designated a Rockwall County Historical Landmark
by the Rockwall County Historical Foundation and was recently recognized
as the best local restoration for "Adaptive Re-use" of
a historical structure.
We are very proud of our building and our practice. Feel free to
come by and have a look around.
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