HAMPTON, Va. — When volunteers first brought Streetcar 390 to Fort Monroe back in 2017, it barely resembled a streetcar at all. The faded wood, peeling paint, and weathered metal told the story of a once-busy vehicle that had long since fallen silent.
Today, that story looks very different.
“We’re really excited,” said Greg Siegel, who’s been leading the restoration effort. “When we first got it here, it didn’t look anything like a streetcar. To get it this far really fills us with excitement.”
After the streetcar retired from service, it was purchased in 1946 by John Anderson, a York County resident who saw the old trolley as an affordable housing opportunity. For nearly 30 years, the Anderson family lived inside the converted car, keeping much of its original charm intact, including signs from its streetcar days.
“When we went up to Baltimore to get the car and bring it back in 2017, those signs were still in the car,” Siegel recalled. “We protected them because we wanted to showcase them.”
Eventually, the car found its way to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, which in 2013 offered to return it to Hampton on one condition: that it be restored and preserved. Since then, volunteers have spent countless hours rebuilding its body, replacing worn wood, and fixing the car with all the furniture it would’ve had 100 years ago.
“We’re pretty much done with the body of the car,” Siegel said. “The only other things we have to do while it’s in the shop are the platforms, which are the two ends of the car.”
Now, the project is entering its next phase, acquiring funding for a permanent home. The team hopes to raise enough funds to display Streetcar 390 at the Hampton History Museum, where it can tell the story of both the city’s transportation heritage and one family’s resourceful spirit.
To celebrate how far they’ve come, the restoration team will host an open house at Fort Monroe this Saturday November 8, inviting the community to step inside the newly restored car.
“Our open house will of course feature the car,” Siegel said. “You’ll be able to go inside, sit in the tan chairs, and think, ‘Wow, my grandparents rode one of these things.’”
The open house will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will also coincide with the Fort Monroe Veterans Day Ceremony, giving visitors an opportunity to explore both events and spend the day immersed in local history.
For more information on the open house, including an address, click here.
