In 1878, the East Line & Red River Railroad extended to Winnsboro from the water port at Jefferson and then to Greenville. In 1902, the Texas Southern Railroad, later M&ET, was built from Winnsboro to Marshall. Winnsboro became a shipping center for timber and agricultural commodities. The original 1878 depot burned and was replaced by the present structure in 1908. In 1985, KCS Railroad gave the Winnsboro Heritage Society a 99 year lease of the depot.