DULUTH, Ga. — The Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth has been named to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2025 Places in Peril list, highlighting the urgent need for improvement efforts at the 35-acre facility.
“That word peril is definitely scary, but I think it’s an honor for us to be listed with the Georgia Trust for Historical Preservation,” Chuck Miller, executive director of the museum told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson. “It’s a call to action to help us improve the visibility of the museum.”
The designation comes as many of the 55-year-old museum’s 90 pieces of history face deterioration from exposure to the elements.
“A lot of our stuff’s at risk due to the Georgia climate,” said Miller. “Any climate will affect anything made out of metal. So we’ve got a lot of rust going on and issues going on.”
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The museum houses rare treasures including the Marco Polo, a 1927 Pullman car used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Superb, the second-oldest steel private car in America. Both vehicles show signs of weather damage.
“We’re the only museum in the country that has two presidential Pullman cars,” said Miller. “And we have some other hidden gems around here that are really worth seeing.”
Museum officials told Channel 2 Action News they estimate that about three-fifths of their collection needs restoration work.
Despite the challenges, the museum continues to welcome visitors, offering a hands-on historical experience.
“This is a place where you can touch things. You can sit in things. You can ride a train. You can have a picnic here. You can throw a Frisbee around,” Miller said.
The museum hopes the Places in Peril designation will bring attention to preservation needs and attract new supporters, volunteers, and funding.
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