The Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum’s inaugural National Train Day Photo Contest ended recently, votes were tallied and winners have been announced.
“In honor of National Train Day on May 12, we asked our Facebook followers to submit train-themed photos on our page,” said Miranda Chavis, museum manager. “Then we asked our Facebook fans to vote by clicking the ‘Like’ button for the photos they liked the best.”
Chavis said the contest generated so much interest that they received well over 100 entries from May 12 through the 14.
“Some photographs featured our beautifully restored Hamlet Depot, while others featured trains in locations as far away as London,” said Chavis.
Jenni H. Brown, of Rockingham, won first place with 74 “likes” for her photo of train tracks in Hamlet sprinkled with snow. Her photo was taken on Dec. 26, 2010.
“I carry my camera with me everywhere, it’s sort a hobby of mine,” said Brown. “I took the picture of those tracks after the snow to send to an old friend who moved away. We used to walk along those tracks on the way home from school, and that holds a lot of good memories for me. I decided to enter that shot in the photo contest, and she was pretty excited about it too when I told her.”
Bill Dennis, of Hamlet, won second place with 47 “likes” for his photo of the Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum, also taken on the snowy day of Dec. 26, 2010.
“I wanted to go out and take a photo of the Depot when it snowed, because I have so many pictures of the Depot I thought that would be an interesting one to have,” said Dennis.
Dennis added that he was surprised and happy to find out that he won second place.
“I really thought my photo showing the moon at the Depot would have a better shot, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” he said. “I think all the photos entered were good, and I enjoyed looking at each of them.”
Katie Williams, of Cordova, was awarded honorable mention for her photo taken of tracks near Caroline Street in Rockingham on May 9, 2012.
All photo entries can be seen on the Hamlet Historic Depot and Museum Facebook page.
Ayers Jewelry in Rockingham donated a $50 gift certificate for the first place winner, Jimmy McDonald Photography donated a half-hour free lesson for the first place winner, Carolina Country Peddlers Mall in Lumberton donated $25 gift certificates for first and second place winners, and the museum gifted each winner with assorted prizes that included “Seaboard” T-shirts.
“I’m already getting calls from across the area on when we will be holding the next photo contest,” said Chavis. “It was an amazing experience that celebrated our museum, National Train Day and the incredible talent of our community.”
Chavis said interest in the contest garnered entries from areas near Raleigh, N.C., and Columbia, S.C., as well.
— Staff Writer Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.
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