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ROGUE RIVER Rogue River building that will be torched in training exercise is full of history It will be like 'the death of an old friend,' historian laments Comment By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 20, 2016 at 3:11 PM By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 20, 2016 at 3:11 PM » Social News ROGUE RIVER — On Saturday, firefighters from several departments will train on a practice fire at an old building at 595 E. Main St. On Sunday, it will be burned to the foundation. It's not a typical "burn to learn" shack, since it sits on the main drag of this small town, across from a shopping center. And, it's not particularly dilapidated. The building is also full of history, built with pieces of an old train depot in what was known as Woodville before the town name changed to Rogue River more than 100 years ago. "They're going to be witnessing the death of an old friend with the burning of that building," local historian Tom Moulder said. Most recently the old building was The Station restaurant, which locals also called the Soup Station. It closed last year. The property owners, Tom and Bonnie Brigham, now live in Arizona. Attempts to reach them to comment were unsuccessful. Todd Rufener, a firefighter and paramedic with the Rogue River Fire Department, said in practice burns, the property owner donates the structure, which is often cheaper than traditional demolition. Moulder and his wife, Susan, are involved with historical societies in Talent and in Rogue River, and lament that there's not much to be done now. They did say helping firefighters train is a good cause. "It shouldn't go unnoticed," Tom Moulder said. "A lot of things keep chipping away. It's nice to have the consciousness of mind to recognize what we had." A spokesperson at the Woodville Museum who didn't want to be named said "a lot of people are upset about it." At one time, there were two depots, one for passengers and one for baggage and mail, the earliest built in 1884, Moulder said. Both ended up on the north side of the tracks at one point, then moved onto Main Street where one became a barn, and pieces of the other one became the present structure. In 2000, Moulder and his son dismantled the original depot, which was the barn, and donated it to the Medford Railroad Park. The pieces are in storage now. He remembers the date — January, 1884 — painted on one of the rafters. The other building was the Randleman family home for many years, and later the Brighams operated their tax business in it, shared with an antique store and the restaurant. The historical components include window sills with "SP" for Southern Pacific, boards behind the siding with extensive graffiti and carvings from passengers from years gone by, some more than a century old. "We'd give anything to have those old boards," Susan Moulder said. Tom Moulder said he doesn't have much hope for a "stay of execution." "Nobody really has any concern," he said. By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 20, 2016 at 3:11 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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