I took a rainy detour through Huntington, West Virginia, yesterday and encountered a number of wonderful historic buildings. The sleek, curved lines of the circa 1953 former Greyhound Bus Station shone like a historic neon sign through the drizzle.
The one-story Greyhound Bus Station in Huntington, West Virginia.
The one-story Art Moderne style building was designed by George D. Brown, an architect who also designed the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Charleston, West Virginia (the Charleston depot was sadly demolished in the 1980s). Brown also designed at least two other striking Greyhound stations – one in Columbia, South Carolina (see below), and the Atlantic Greyhound Bus Terminal in Savannah, Georgia.
The 1930s Greyhound Station in Columbia, South Carolina. This photograph by the incomparable Jack Boucher.
The Huntington depot was restored in 1994 and is now used as the customer service center for the Tri-State Transit Authority.
Side elevation and facade.
Although I couldn’t find a plan of the building online, I was entranced by the details still in place – the glass brick at the corner entry, the circular windows (portholes!), and the wonderful newness of the design of the historic building. It was a lucky find on a quick drive-through of downtown Huntington.
The Neon still is still working on this building, it is beautiful at night.