After two years of work and a cost of just over $1 million, the restored Kyle Railroad Depot and Heritage Center opened to the public Sept. 25.

Volunteers with the Hays County Historical Commission have installed exhibits about the rail line and the history of Kyle, with artifacts such as a re-creation of a station master's office and telephones from different time periods. They have also prepared a film on the history of rail in Kyle.

“It’s very nice for families or friends from out of town,” said Trisha Randow, chairwoman of the Kyle Railroad Depot and Heritage Center.

The depot is back at its original location at 100 N. Front St., Kyle, where it was built in 1917 to replace an earlier train depot destroyed in a fire the year before, Randow said.

Being a stop on the rail line is what put Kyle on the map, she said.

“Kyle became Kyle because of the railroad,” Randow said. “The depot is a wonderful reminder of Kyle’s history.”

The depot closed in 1965 and was sold for scrap lumber, she said. Luckily for future generations, it was bought by a man who turned it into an extra home on his ranch. He later donated it back to the city, and in 2004 it was moved back to its original location.

The restoration project was supported by the HCHC, the city of Kyle and various donors.

The depot opened to the public on the anniversary of the 1880 auction of the lots that would later become the city of Kyle, Randow said. Nearly 100 people attended the grand opening.

The Kyle Railroad Depot and Heritage Center is open to the public every Sunday from 1-5 p.m., free of charge. The museum will also be available for group tours by appointment.

“We’re open for business and anxious to show off the depot,” Randow said.

The renovation of a caboose that sits just north of the depot will be the next large project at the site, she said.