The Railroad Depot in Punta Gorda is still being used nearly 80 years after it originally opened and it's still connected to history.

Preserved to nearly original conditions, it now serves as an antique mall, as it has for the past nine years.

"It kind of adds to the atmosphere to be in a historic place and to sell things that are antiques and collectibles," says the mall's Starr Zachritz. "And in Charlotte County, there really isn't an antique mall that has this many vendors all in one place after the hurricane." Hurricane Charley damaged the building, which the Punta Gorda Historical Society is still trying to raise funds to repair. But with its thick brick walls, the depot fared relatively well.

There are about 20 vendors who display there and ten percent of their sale proceeds go back into maintaining the building.

"As far as the historical society is concerned," says the historical society's Fran Campbell, "just having it open so people can see it is an important thing. But we wouldn't be able to do that if we didn't have a mall here to support it."

The depot is located on Taylor Street near US 41. For more information on the depot or the historical society, call 941-639-6774 or 941-639-1887.