2023 City of Albany,"Wetherbee Planetarium"

Wetherbee Planetarium

In 1974, concerned community citizens championed the cause for revitalization of the historic downtown railroad depot area. Thronateeska Heritage Foundation, Inc. resulted from the merger of the Southwest Georgia Historical Society, organized in 1969, and the Albany Junior Museum, Inc., founded in 1959 by the Junior League of Albany. The Wetherbee Planetarium was originally opened in the old Railway Express Agency (REA) in 1980. A new Wetherbee Planetarium and Science Museum was constructed between the Railway Express Agency building and Fryer-Merritt House in 2008. The new building incorporated architectural features of the original 1926 Central Georgia Roundhouse on the facade of the building. In 1982, the Tift Warehouse (constructed in 1857 as the original passenger and freight depot), the REA building and Albany's last remaining brick street were added to the National Register and listed as Albany's Railroad Depot Historic District.