Built in 1951 by the Illinois Central Railroad company, in 1986 the little red caboose was relocated to its present site directly behind the Southern Pacific Railroad Freight Depot at 4th Street and Huey P. Long Avenue.

The caboose houses railroad memorabilia. It has been closed since Covid-19 restrictions. Prearranged tours, field trips and bus trips were offered in the past and will be offered again post-pandemic.

Built in 1951 by the Illinois Central Railroad, the caboose had been privately owned and used as a Terrytown restaurant called “The Brothers Three.”

GHS heard that the restaurant was closing and took on the mission of getting the red caboose to the historic district where they believed it belonged. It was thought that the caboose would be a perfect complement to the old railroad freight depot that had already been relocated back to 4th Street and Huey P. Long Avenue.

The expense and logistics of moving the caboose was too much for the GHS to manage alone. Mayor Ronnie Harris and Mary Grace Curry, society president who was also largely responsible for getting Gretna on the National Registry got badly needed support when La. St. Representative Joe Toomy stepped up to help.

Joe Toomy knew the owner of B & G Crane Service who generously moved the caboose in 1986 at no cost. The local utility company lifted power lines along the route to get the caboose to downtown Gretna.

The GHS project of relocating the caboose created a new Gretna landmark!

Photos