Experience a day of family fun at The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum located in Dennison, Ohio.

Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, The Dennison Railroad Depot is the most significant remaining example in the nation of a railroad canteen still reflecting its WWII heritage.

During WWII, 1.3 Million service members were served free food by 4,000 working volunteers at the Dennison Depot Salvation Army Servicemen’s Canteen. These service men and women traveled by troop train along the National Defense Strategic Railway and stopped at the Depot as they were going off to fight in the war.

Our Homefront hospitality became so well known, that the nickname Dreamsville, USA was given to us by the soldiers themselves. Today, the beautifully restored 1873 Pennsylvania Railroad Depot, which served as the Panhandle Division Headquarters, offers plenty of family entertainment.

The Depot is fully restored and now houses a museum, restaurant, Panhandle Theater and Whistle Stop Railway Gift Shop. Visitors can explore the museum’s Railroad History and Sports exhibits, then watch the trains run in the large Model Train Layout depicting Dennison in its heyday. The theater features a film on Dennison’s role as a WWII Canteen that earned Dennsion the nickname Dreamsville, USA. A train of railroad cars is attached to the Depot which features the Children’s Interactive Railroad Car Experience, a special yearly Feature Exhibit Car, a rare WWII Hospital Car housing our WWI and WWII collections, and a Local History Car. The museum is very interactive and hands-on. Children are invited to follow Bing’s Scavenger Hunt.

A fifth car in the Museum’s Addition is a Railroad Research Library, housing our archives. It is available for research upon appointment during open hours.

Follow up your visit with souvenir shopping or a meal in the Depot’s Over the Rail Diner. Picnic space is also available outside where you can see Bing’s House plus our collection of Rolling Stock including a 1940s Thermos Bottle Engine, Nickel Plate Caboose, the 2700 Cheseapeake & Ohio Locomotive and various other railroad cars.

This homefront hospitality continues today in our lobby, with a free cup of coffee and a cookie to all our visitors.

 

Ride on THE POLAR EXPRESS!

Experience the magic of Christmas on board the only POLAR EXPRESS train ride in Ohio! Listen to the classic story by Chris Van Allsburg and receive a hot chocolate and cookie on your way to the North Pole. On the way back each child will get to visit with Santa and recieve a silver bell from his sleigh. You do not want to miss out on these magical Christmas memories! For ticket pricing and information visit our “POLAR EXPRESS” page by hovering over the Events tab or calling our ticket agents at 740.922.6776. To purchase Coach tickets click here. 

 

New Ohio Homefront to Warfront Trail

WWII Victory Celebration

75 th Commemorative

 

Ten of Ohio’s Museums featuring WWII history have joined forces to offer a new Homefront to Warfront Drive-it-Yourself Trail to celebrate the 75 th Anniversary of the end of WWII. The tour kicks-off this summer and runs through the end of the year, but will highlight veteran recognition from August 15 to September 2, the 75 th Anniversaries of Victory in Japan Day and the formal signing of the Instrument of Surrender on board the USS Missouri.

The main corridor of this tour connects the homefront, represented by the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, a National Historic Landmark in Dennison recognized as the best example left in the nation of a WWII Servicemen’s Canteen site and the National Veterans Memorial Museum in Columbus which is dedicated to honoring the service of all Veterans.

Other Ohio museums collaborating on this tour include the Ernest Warther Museum in Dover, the MAPS Air Museum in North Canton, the Old Main Street Museum in Newcomerstown, the Fletcher General Hospital and Chapel and National Museum of Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton and the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana. In total, there are 500 miles of WWII history.

Additional information is available on the Tourism Ohio’s Adventure Trails page at
https://trails.ohio.org/wps/portal/gov/trails/map. The map also encourages users to visit RemarkableOhio.org where
travelers can decide to add WWII Markers to their travel plan.

Dennison Depot
is part of
The History Loop!

With one History Loop Triple Ticket,
enjoy admission to
THREE Tuscarawas County Museums:

The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum

Museum of Clay Industry and Folk Art

Historic Schoenbrunn Village

Also enjoy 30% off at all three museum gift shops!

Stay With Us!

Learn More About The Pullman Bed and Breakfast Opening Soon!

The Pullman Bed and Breakfast

Looking For Event Space?

Ask us about The Streetside Center, available NOW for your next event!

The Streetside Center

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Awards

  • Multiple awards for outstanding Achievement from the Ohio Local History Alliance, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, the Ohio Museum Association
  • 2018 Ohio Museum Association Professional of the Year – Wendy Zucal
  • 2016 Ohio Museum Association Emerging Professional of the Year – Jacob Masters
  • 2016 Eastern Ohio Economic Development Alliance Tourism Award – Dreamsville Association
  • 2013 Recipient of the Ohio History Tax Check-off Funding Grant Cycle (1 of only 11 grants)
  • 2012 Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year – Wendy Zucal
  • 2011 Ohio Museum Association Institute of the Year
  • 2010 Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Ambassador Award – Wendy Zucal
  • 2010 Dominion- Cleveland Business Magazine Economic Development/Community Improvement Award
  • 2007 Eastern Ohio Development Alliance Tourism Excellence Award
  • 2005 Historic Preservation Heritage Award
  • 2005 Twin City Chamber of Commerce Organization of the Year
  • 2001 Ohio Rail Tourism Outstanding Service Award
  • 2000 North Central Business Journal Community Development Award
  • 1997 Economic Development Trailblazer Award
  • 1996 East Ohio Gas – Cleveland Business Magazine Economic Development Award
  • 1995 Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year – Dennison Depot
  • 1994 Twin City Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award
  • 1991 Tuscarawas County Historical Society Zeisberger-Heckewelder Award for Outstanding Achievement in Field of History

A Video Tour of the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum

Our Canteen History and Saving a National Landmark

#BestSummerEver with Private Bulldog Bing

#BestSummerEver Bing Stop Motion Short Film

Check out this #BestSummerEver short film!

Posted by Dennison Railroad Depot Museum on Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Engine 2700 Restoration Project

#2700.

Posted by Dennison Railroad Depot Museum on Thursday, September 28, 2017

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Hear From Our Museum Visitors…

We definitely had a good time, enjoying ourselves!! Very nice! 5 stars!

Danielle R.