The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Depot is a disused railroad depot and train station 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 ...
. It is located at 119 Pitkin Avenue next to the still-in-use
Grand Junction station in downtown
Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 65,560 at the 2020 United States Census, making Grand Junction the 17th mo ...
.
Background
Location
![Grand Junction 1880s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Grand_Junction_1880s.jpg)
The town of
Grand Junction was founded on September 26, 1881, by the Grand Junction Town Company. The founder of the town,
George A. Crawford, was a
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
veteran and President of the Grand Junction Town Company. He was accompanied by William McGinley, J. Clayton Nichols, and four unidentified companions. By 1882, the settlement had expanded into a much larger town. The town had become known for its agriculture, trade, mining, and as a stop for stagecoaches. The community leaders broke a deal with the
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge l ...
to bring their western route through the town. The first train arrived at Grand Junction on November 22, 1882, cementing the town's place as a major settlement on the
Colorado Western Slope
The Western Slope is the part of the state of Colorado west of the Continental Divide. Bodies of water west of the Divide flow toward the Pacific Ocean; water that falls and flows east of the Divide heads east toward the Gulf of Mexico. The West ...
.
History
Construction
Prior to the construction of the station, there had been a number of different smaller stations and repair yards built with simple-log structures. By 1905, the town of Grand Junction had grown to approximately 7,000 inhabitants. This led to the decision to build a new station, much larger and more ornate than any before it. Construction efforts began on the station on April 6, 1905.
The design of the depot was that of
Henry John Schlacks, an architect from
Chicago
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known later in life for designing churches, on behalf of the
Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge l ...
and the William Simpson Construction Company of
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
Expense
The station was built at a considerable cost and grandeur for both the time and location it was built in. The design called for $60,000 (over $1.5 million in 2020), with a further $15,000 (approx. $400,000) being spent to renovate and improve the grounds around the station. The design of the station can be described as 'Italian-Renaissance'. The primary material used is white brick with terracotta used for accent and ornamentation.
The choice in building material, design, and scale made the station the most handsome, expensive, and sizable railroad depot in the region.
Operations
One of the most notable routes to pass through the station was that of the
California Zephyr
The ''California Zephyr'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville), via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At , it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overall ...
. The ''California Zephyr'' was the last major privately owned and operated railway network in the United States. Although the route still exists under
Amtrak's successor to the original
California Zephyr
The ''California Zephyr'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville), via Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno. At , it is Amtrak's longest daily route, and second-longest overall ...
, the stop was moved next door to the
Grand Junction station in 1992.
Other notable routes include the
Desert Wind
The ''Desert Wind'' was an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that ran from 1979 to 1997. It operated from Chicago to Los Angeles as a section of the ''California Zephyr'', serving Los Angeles via Salt Lake City; Ogden, Utah; and Las Vegas.
...
line between
Chicago
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and
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, and the
Pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and de ...
that ran between
Chicago
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and
East Bay
The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties ...
. Both services rerouted to stop at
Grand Junction station in 1983. The
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...
describes the most significant years of the station as being between 1925 and 1949.
Today
Fate
Amtrak last stopped at the station in 1992 before moving next door to
Grand Junction station.
The station 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 ...
on September 8, 1992. Over the years, the station has fallen into a state of disrepair. The windows are boarded and the interior has become largely dilapidated. The exterior of the structure can be described as being in a fair condition, with much of its original features, facades, and decorations remaining intact.
See also
*
Henry Schlacks
*
Grand Junction station
*
Rio Grande Depot (Salt Lake City)
*
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge line running south from D ...
References
{{reflist
External links
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Listing
National Register of Historic Places in Mesa County, Colorado
Stations along Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad lines
Transportation buildings and structures in Mesa County, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado