The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House, known locally as The Freight House, is a historic building in Downtown

Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and a ...

, United States. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1985.

History

This

Freight House A freight house is a building owned and operated by a railroad for receiving, loading, unloading, and temporary storage of less-than-car load (LCL) freight. Having a protected area for temporary freight storage improves efficiency by allowing ...

was built by the

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986. The company experience ...

(The Milwaukee Road) in 1917 in response to the increased freight traffic in Davenport before the country entered

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. with It was built on the levee near the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

. The railroad built the

Crescent Rail Bridge The Crescent Bridge carries a rail line across the Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois. It was formerly owned by the Davenport, Rock Island and North Western Railway, a joint subsidiary of the Chicago, Burling ...

with the

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...

to the west in 1901, and they joined in building

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

across Ripley Street in 1924. Railroad freight factored in the development of the city's wholesale and retail commercial economy from the 1890s onward. Because of Davenport's location, railroad freight could be charged favorable eastern rates while western rates could also be accessed. This gave the city an advantage over in-state communities. The freight house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its association with the commercial development of Davenport, Iowa. After being renovated in the 1990s, The Freight House has seen a variety of uses, such as a comedy club, sports bar, piano bar, and restaurant. Currently, the freight house is home to several small businesses featuring locally grown items, such as a deli, a grocery hub, and a tap room for a local brewery.

Architecture

The building is rectangular in shape and built of brick with concrete floors and columns. The eastern end is two stories and held the offices. The west end held the warehouse storage space in a single story. The facility was located between the

rail siding A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line, branch line, or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end. Sidings often have lighte ...

and thoroughfare where cargo could be easily transferred from one transportation system to another.

References

External links

Freight House Farmers Market
{{Quad Cities Railway stations in the United States opened in 1917

Davenport Davenport may refer to: Places Australia *Davenport, Northern Territory, a locality * Hundred of Davenport, cadastral unit in South Australia **Davenport, South Australia, suburb of Port Augusta **District Council of Davenport, former local govern ...

Railway freight houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa National Register of Historic Places in Davenport, Iowa