Yesteryear By Pat Sides
This stately limestone building was a landmark on South Fulton Avenue for many decades. Built in 1902, the depot is seen here in the 1960s, when it was still busy but on the decline due to the popularity of airplanes and automobiles.
The station’s use peaked in the 1940s, when passengers could board up to 140 trains daily on the station’s five tracks, including scores of soldiers on their way to and from Camp Breckinridge.
The last passenger train departed in April 1971, and the depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Plans to convert the space to a new use failed, and despite fierce opposition from preservationists, the deteriorating landmark was demolished in 1985.
