College Station Kiss

Back when train travel was the main mode of transportation, the College Station Depot was the most important connection between the outside world and Texas A&M. Thousands of Aggies passed under the depot's long eaves. Entire graduation classes would commission and board the trains to go off to fight in World War 2. Benjamin painted this historical scene in watercolor depicting the depot right after World War 2, and it struck a very emotional cord for hundreds of Aggies, their wives, and families. It also held special sentimental value for girls who had traveled from the Texas Women's University for Aggie football games.

"I had so many people tell me that it was them in the picture," Benjamin says "but it is sad now that these people from the greatest generation are no longer around to share their amazing stories. I documented as many stories as I could." Benjamin created his gallery in College Station to be an exact replica of the College Station train depot. One of his favorite events at his gallery pertains to three couples that had met at the original train depot in the 1940's and were all married at the same time. Each year, they would meet at various places around the world to celebrate their anniversary. For their 55th year anniversary they met at the College Station Depot, Benjamin's gallery to share a lifetime of memories. "One elder lady even told me that when she was a little girl living in College Station, she experienced this scene from her point of view, and it was etched in her mind forever. I love hearing all of these inspiring historical stories," Benjamin says.

Benjamin was commissioned to create a giant reproduction of this image for the Cinemark Movie Theater in College Station.