Kent's Erie Depot, the city's iconic brick train station which played a key role in the city’s early economic development, celebrated its 150th anniversary Sunday.

“Kent for a hundred years was a railroad town and it was a busy, active town, (with) hundreds of people working for the railroad,” said Bruce Dzeda, historian and author of the book “Railroad Town.”

According to Dzeda, the railroads were one of the first national industries to find their way into the Kent region. And with the depot and railroads came the opportunity for people to find work in the town and the ability to earn a living.

“This is where people got their hands dirty. This is where you could make more money,” Dzeda said. “There was always a job, if you needed one. You could either go to the yards or you could go to

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