Zhutian Station Garden Introduction
The Zhuqian Station, built in 1940, is the only remaining wooden train station of the Fangliao Line of the South-Link Railway. It is an architectural style mimicking Western design. As the passenger volume gradually declined, the Taiwan Railways Administration initially decided to demolish it. However, through the active efforts of local residents and cultural figures, it was eventually preserved and, after renovation, included in a cultural preservation area along with surrounding historical buildings, named "Zhuqian Garden." The preserved facilities in Zhuqian Garden include the wooden train station, the wooden oil depot, the station building, the waiting room, a granary, a rice mill, a bathhouse, and an ancient well. It also features the Photography Memorial Hall of Mr. Lee Hsiu-Yun, the Dr. Ikushima Library, the Zhuqian Cultural Center, the Te-Hsing Rice Mill, a spring ecological pond, and the Train-Themed Café, encapsulating a rich rustic beauty. The Photography Memorial Hall of Mr. Lee Hsiu-Yun was originally an abandoned railway warehouse and has been renovated into a photography-themed hall. It regularly exhibits various thematic old photographs and artifacts related to photographer Lee Hsiu-Yun, preserving historical records. Dr. Ikushima, a Japanese military doctor, provided free medical consultations to impoverished villagers, leading local residents to establish the Dr. Ikushima Library in his honor, which houses over 5,000 volumes of Japanese books across ten categories. The Zhuqian Cultural Center was also an old railway warehouse. After renovation, it now includes an art classroom and serves as an exhibition hall for traditional farming tools and periodic art displays, allowing visitors and locals to better understand Zhuqian's history. The Te-Hsing Rice Mill, built in 1942, is characterized by its entirely wooden rice milling pipeline. In the past, Zhuqian was a hub for rice distribution, evidenced by the numerous rice mills that thrived, showcasing the agricultural prosperity of the time. The spring ecological pond is home to beautiful lotus flowers and a variety of aquatic creatures such as frogs, turtles, small fish, and tadpoles, making it a suitable resting and observation spot for children and adults alike. The Train-Themed Café, transformed from the employee dormitory, sells various light meals, coffee, and tea. The surrounding area also includes a Japanese bathhouse, an ancient well, the station building, warehouses, and a water tower, enhanced by trains that occasionally pass through, making it the main recreational area of Zhuqian Garden. (Visitors are advised not to walk or linger on the tracks.)
