Built in 1913 of red bricks and at a cost of $7,560, the Missouri Pacific Depot was once the center of activity in Camden.  The Missouri Pacific Depot, which was originally owned by the Iron Mountain Railroad, has a place in the history of what was once a thriving railroad business.  Camden once had 3 railroad stations, the Missouri Pacific, the Rock Island, and the St. Louis Southwestern.  For many years the primary way to get to LIttle Rock was by train, and during flood season it could be the only way.  By the 1950's train travel was on the decrease as buses became more popular.  One by one the train stations closed as commercial traffic decreased.

The noise and excitement of travel that once filled the Depot has disappeared with modern times of a different pace.  With the dedicated efforts of a few concerned citizens and Main Street Camden, over several years of negotiations with Missouri Pacific, the facility has again become alive with activity.   Only July 17, 1992, a lease was executed between Union Pacific and Main Street Camden, Inc.  The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.  Renovation began with a grant from the Arkansas Highway Commission, and matching funds generated in the community by sales of memorial brick, T-shirts, and an excellent cookbook.

The building currently houses the Camden Chamber of Commerce and includes several displays of Civil War artifacts and railroad memorabilia, as well as offering tourist information. 

If you plan a visit to Camden be sure to come by the Depot for a city map and see the displays.