The Texas Pacific Railroad Station, listed on the National Register of Historical Places is located at 139 3rd Street, behind Gretna City Hall. Built in 1905, the red brick building is a bungalow with wrought iron brackets and a gabled parapet. This new depot replaced a pre-Civil War wood structure close to the rail ferry.

The Gretna Station was the starting point of all Texas-Pacific rails going north and west of the Mississippi. After passengers boarded in New Orleans, the cars were ferried across the river and assembled into a train on 3rd Street in front of the Gretna Station.

For 30 years, the little station was very active as many New Orleans passengers preferred to cross the mighty Mississippi River on the Jackson Avenue Ferry and board the train in Gretna. Many veterans from the World Wars traveled through the station as they were deployed and returned after serving in the military.

In 1935, the station fell on hard times as it was less needed once the Huey P. Long vehicular and railroad bridge opened, connecting east with west. In post WWII years, the Texas-Pacific Railroad was purchased by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. Being declared access baggage by M-P, the little station was donated to the City of Gretna.

In 1993, the Louisiana State Railroad Museum became the new occupant of the little station. It received a modern facelift. With most of its modernism ripped out, exposing its very ornate embossed tin ceiling, restoration moved very slowly as funds became available. After 60 years of mostly desolation and idleness, Gretna’s Texas-Pacific Station was restored to its 1905 appearance. The little station began its most unglamorous role when it became Gretna’s collection office for auto traffic fines. It has since served as offices for various entities.

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