Railroad is part of Parrish's past. Expanded railroad museum is big part of its future

The footings and concrete slab were already in place for improvements coming to the Florida Railroad Museum on Thursday morning when the groundbreaking was held for the long-planned project.

But it will be a while before the restrooms that meet the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a ticket office and gift shop, a shed over display trains at the Parrish depot and a 5,000-square-foot train house with a community room become reality at 12210 83rd St. E.

Successful events at the museum, such as Thomas the Tank Engine, which in the past attracted thousands of families to Parrish, have cooled a bit, thus slowing the pace of fundraising, said Patrick Masterson, museum president.

Even so, the groundbreaking ceremony represented a “really, really big day for the museum,” Parrish community activist Ben Jordan said.

County Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace said that the arrival of the railroad in Parrish a century ago changed the community and put it on the map.

“Parrish changed when it got the railroad and now we can document that history,” Trace said.

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, also attended the groundbreaking.

The Florida Railroad Museum represents “a seed for the future” of Parrish, Falcione said, and helps create a sense of place and a sense of community.

The Manatee County Tourist Development Council pledged up to $1.5 million in 2017 over four years for the museum project, reimbursing the nonprofit for half of its construction expenses.

A completion date for the museum has not been set or announced.

The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Trains run Saturday and Sunday.

For more information about the museum, visit http://www.frrm.org/ or call 941-776-0906.

This story was originally published July 19, 2018 at 1:59 PM.