Over 100 people stood outside the Tornado Exhibit on an overcast Friday morning for the building’s dedication ceremony celebrating the city of Hamlet’s railroad heritage.

The city of Hamlet and the North Carolina DOT dedicated the restored replica of the 19th century Tornado locomotive and the renovated historic building in which it is housed as part of the city’s railroad museum complex.

“The whole project worked out perfectly,” said Craig Newton, project manager said. “It speaks for itself. It’s quaint and attractive.”

The Tornado exhibit is housed in a venerable, five-sided building which according to Winston-Salem-based lead architect, David E. Gall, PA, alone makes it a unique exhibit.

“The building was originally in poor condition,” Gall said. “We had to make steps to rehabilitate the building.”

For years prior to renovation, the building sat in disrepair.

According to Gall, the floors were in need of mending, the original brick walls needed scrubbing and piles of sawdust had collected on the floor from its pervious owners.

Before the building was last vacated, it had been used by a furniture company that specialized in fabricating maple furniture, then a shutter manufacturer, a grocery store and several other businesses.

About 3,100 man-hours were required to complete the project with help of numerous contractors and sub-contractors, craftsman and carpenters.

Newton and Gall both worked on the Historic Hamlet Passenger Depot project across the street several years ago.

“We had no idea this would be in the future,” Newton said about the exhibit and its location. “It became obvious it would be the new home of the Tornado.”

The project team initially tossed around the idea of building a structure from scratch to display the exhibits but later agreed to use the existing structure.

“This (the Tornado exhibit) serves as an adjunct to the depot,” Gall said. “One we had envisioned.”

The main attraction, the restored replica of the Tornado locomotive circa 1850, sits centralized in the building. The locomotive was restored with as many original parts as possible, its original paint scheme and a replica section of the Raleigh-Gaston wood railroad tracks used by the locomotive in the late 1800s.

In addition to the Tornado, a Model-T Ford, an antique fire engine, a film loop of sepia-colored footage of turn-of-the-century Hamlet and the Seaboard Station continuously plays and a model train display donated by the Fazzio Family of Laurinburg sits nestled in the corner.

“What better way to preserve it and what it means than donating it?” Ruth Fazzio, the wife of Fred Fazzio who built the model, said. “It’s something other people can appreciate.”

The Tornado Building will serve as another part of the railroad museum complex in Hamlet.

“It feels good to see it all come to fruition,” Gall said.

According to the city, 80 percent of the funding for the display building came from the Federal Highway Administration, 10 percent came from the NCDOT and another 10 percent from the city though local funds, contributions and donations.

The building and exhibit dedication will serve as the kickoff for the weekend’s Seaboard Festival.

“It’s a reflection of an era gone by,” Marchell Adams-David, city manager said. “But not forgotten.”

n Staff writer Bryan Stewart can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com.