1900s Caboose

This wooden caboose was part of a train, chartered by the E. B. Hayward Lumber Company in 1905 to haul logs out of East Texas bottomland forests and became known as the Nacogdoches and Southeastern Railroad Line as its daily run went south to oil springs then east over to the Attoyac bottoms.  It was later acquired by the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company providing transportation of goods and  commodities as well as passenger service between Nacogdoches and San Augustine up to the early 1950s. The fare was 25 cents.  The depot was located on South Fredonia Street near La Nana Creek.  When the line was discontinued, the caboose was given to Clyde J. Woodward, Sr., who was at the time superintendent of the Frost-Johnson Mill as well as a man who loved trains.  He had it moved to his farm on Upper Melrose Road where it served as a playhouse for family children and friends. It was donated to Millard’s Crossing by the Bussa family, who inherited the farm--and the caboose--in the early 1960s.

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