Emory Depot   The first railroad was built in Emory in 1856, marking the boundary between the college and the Emory community. A new railroad and depot were built in 1912 during Emory’s “building boom,” which included construction of the Addison & Co. general store where the post office was housed until 1962.

The depot currently serves as Emory & Henry’s appropriately-named art exhibit space, The 1912 Gallery. The works of regional and nationally know artists are brought to campus on a regular basis year-round and exhibited here for the benefit of the college community and residents of Southwest Virginia. The college’s permanent collection of metal plates and resulting photographs by Thomas R. Phelps, a local artist who recorded life in the area from the turn of the century until 1940, is a reminder of the rich history and culture found in all of Southwest Virginia.