Historic Virginian Railway station becomes event venue

Roanoke railroad station built in 1909 becomes ‘The Virginian’

ROANOKE, Va. – A landmark railroad station in Roanoke is now a destination for weddings and banquets.

The Virginian Railway Station is now an events venue named ‘The Virginian,' run by local company Chanticleer Catering.

The event venue replaces Steger Creek, a gift shop that closed its doors last year.

The station on the corner of Jefferson Street and Williamson Road was built in 1909 and rehabilitated by Roanoke’s National Railway Historical Society chapter in 2016. The historical society owns the building, and say they are excited to show off the beauty of the train station once again.

“I think it’s a great fit,” said chapter vice president Gary Gray. “It’s an ideal use for the station. We had used it some after restoration for some events until we got a permanent tenant in there, and it worked really well.”

Gray says Chanticleer Catering had paid rent on the space since March, but could not move in until October because of COVID-19.

The first event at The Virginian is scheduled for Oct. 23.