Zhutian Station Park Introduction
The Zhujian Station, built in 1940, is the only surviving wooden train station on the Southern Link Line of the Taiwan Railway. It features a Western-style architecture. Despite a gradual decline in operations, the Taiwan Railways Administration initially planned to demolish it. However, through the active efforts of local residents and cultural figures, it was preserved and, after renovation, was included with nearby historical buildings in a designated cultural preservation area named "Zhujian Station Garden." The facilities preserved in Zhujian Station Garden include the wooden train station, wooden oil storage, station building, waiting room, granary, rice mill, bathhouse, ancient well, as well as the Mr. Lee Hsiu-yun Photography Memorial Hall, Dr. Ichiro Chishima Library, Zhujian Cultural Center, De Xing Rice Mill, spring ecological pond, and a train-themed café, all contributing to the rich rustic beauty of the area. The Mr. Lee Hsiu-yun Photography Memorial Hall was originally an abandoned railway warehouse, renovated into a photography-themed hall, showcasing a long-term exhibition of old photographs on various themes and artifacts from photographer Lee Hsiu-yun, serving to preserve historical records. Dr. Ichiro Chishima was a Japanese military doctor who provided free medical care to impoverished villagers, and in gratitude, the local residents established the Dr. Ichiro Chishima Library in his name, which houses over 5,000 volumes of Japanese books across ten major categories. The Zhujian Cultural Center, also a former railway warehouse, has been renovated and now houses an art classroom and serves as an exhibition space for traditional agricultural tools and occasional art exhibitions, offering visitors and locals a deeper understanding of Zhujian's history. The De Xing Rice Mill, built in 1942, features wooden piping for rice milling, a distinctive characteristic. In the past, Zhujian was a rice distribution hub, with numerous rice mills reflecting the agricultural development of the time. The spring ecological pond is planted with beautiful lotus flowers and is home to a variety of aquatic animals such as frogs, turtles, small fish, and tadpoles, making it a suitable spot for children and adults to relax or observe the local wildlife. The train-themed café is converted from staff quarters, offering a variety of simple meals, coffee, and tea. Surrounding amenities include a Japanese bathhouse, ancient well, station house, warehouse, water tower, among others, with trains occasionally passing by, making it the main recreational area of Zhujian Station Garden. (Visitors are advised not to walk or linger on the railway tracks.)
