Whalen, Kentucky
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| Whalen, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
| Type | Former village |
| County | Daviess County |
| State | Kentucky |
| Also known as | Short's Station |
| Named for | Joseph R. Whalen, first postmaster |
| Post office | 1884 – April 15, 1949 |
| Railroad | Falls of Rough Railroad |
| Location | Short's Station Road and Jack Hinton Road |
Whalen, otherwise known as Short's Station, is located in the eastern part of Daviess County, Kentucky, about four miles from Philpot. Whalen's post office was established in 1884, and it was a thriving village along the tracks of the Falls of Rough Railroad, and the former site of a large clay mining operation. Whalen is situated around Short's Station Road and Jack Hinton Road.
Post Office and Namesake
In 1886, Whalen had a school house run by Miss Lena Coots. It also had a post office in which Joseph R. Whalen was the first postmaster, and also the community's namesake. Other early postmasters included Ambrose Cundiff, James S. Short, and Emily Whalen. James S. Short was the namesake of the train station and synonymous with Whalen, Short's Station.
The post office was the central gathering place for men of the neighborhood to discuss politics and world affairs, and to have a good time playing checkers and cards.
Businesses
At one point there was a dry-goods store, blacksmith's shop, the Short's Station Depot, and of course many farms.
The Railroad
The railroad which ran through Whalen carried passenger and freight trains, and at one time it carried up to eight trains a day. The small Short's Station Depot contained a waiting room for passengers, and a ticket and freight office. The passenger line was discontinued in 1941, as was the mail line in 1948.
Decline
Around the 1940s and 1950s, businesses began to close due to improved roads and increased opportunity of transportation and availability of automobiles. The blacksmith shop run by Wallace Estes closed around 1930, and the General Store in 1942. In part due to the decreased rail traffic and businesses closing, the post office closed April 15th, 1949, and until 1980 only freight was carried on the railroad through Whalen.
