Georgia Railroad Freight Depot Built in 1869, the Georgia Railroad freight depot is the oldest building in downtown Atlanta. It is now used as a meeting and banquet facility. The western end, shown below, originally featured an Italianate three-story office block topped by a cupola. After a 1935 fire the upper two floors were removed. (The whale-themed mural is on the wall of a large parking garage next door to the depot.) When the Georgia General Assembly is in session, the depot is the scene of many legislative banquets, luncheons, and receptions. It is also available for weddings, receptions, and other events. Although the French doors with their delicate fanlights are a bit out of place on a freight depot, the building's rehabilitation as a banquet facility is a huge improvement over its 1970s use as a parking garage. (Central Avenue at M. L. King, Jr. Blvd., next to Underground Atlanta).  Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage. Copyright, Steve Storey. Railroad History | The Depot List | Locomotives On Display | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home