Help us fill the hole

Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated communities across Western North Carolina, the Saluda Depot Museum is launching a fundraising campaign to address damage the storm caused beneath and around the historic Depot.

The campaign, appropriately named “Fill the Hole,” is aimed at raising the remaining funds needed to make permanent repairs and protect the 1903 historic railroad depot.

At first glance, the Depot may appear to have weathered Hurricane Helene with relatively little damage. The real problem, however, occurred underground.

Saluda's mountainous terrain creates a natural challenge for managing stormwater. The Saluda Depot Museum shares a backyard area with the Saluda Community Library. A county road runs downhill beside the library, while the library parking areas also slope toward the low area between the library and the Depot.

Years ago, a catch basin and electric pumps were installed to collect and move the water.

There is also a natural spring in the area that flows continuously through a large corrugated pipe installed in 1984. The pipe runs beneath the road near the library, behind the library and toward the catch basin. From there, the water passes beneath the Depot and continues under portions of downtown Saluda.

When Hurricane Helene brought an extraordinary amount of rain to the area, the system was overwhelmed. The widespread power outage meant that the electric pumps could not operate. As water continued to accumulate, pressure on the aging pipe increased until it failed.

Water entered the area beneath the Depot, flooding its crawl space and washing away supporting soil.

The museum immediately began looking for a contractor who could address the problem. But in the aftermath of Helene, contractors throughout Western North Carolina were overwhelmed with storm-related work. Some were also reluctant to undertake a complicated repair involving a historic structure.

The museum eventually secured grant assistance that allowed temporary shoring posts to be installed, stabilizing the building and making it safe.

That was an important first step—but it was not a permanent repair.

Finding a contractor able to undertake the more complicated work has taken considerably longer. The museum has now secured a contractor who can make the necessary permanent repairs.

The challenge is paying for them.