The Santa Fe Depot was a historic railroad station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which burned down in 1993. It was originally built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1902 along with the neighboring

Alvarado Hotel The Alvarado Hotel was a historic railroad hotel which was one of the most famous landmarks of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was built in 1901–02 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and was operated by the Fred Harvey Company until 1970. ...

. After the hotel was razed in 1970, the depot remained in use by ATSF and then Amtrak passenger trains. The building was listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1981 and was designated an Albuquerque Historic Landmark.

History

The Santa Fe Depot was built in 1902, replacing an earlier two-story wooden building. It was part of a larger complex that also included the

, an "Indian Building" where tourists could buy southwestern curios, and various outbuildings. The depot and hotel were designed by

Charles Frederick Whittlesey Charles Frederick Whittlesey (1867–1941) was an American architect best known for his work in the American southwest, and for pioneering work in reinforced concrete in California. Life Born in Alton, Illinois, Whittlesey was a draftsman ...

and built by Anson & Holman at a total cost of about $80,000. In 1912, the depot was badly damaged by a fire which destroyed the south end of the building, damaged the tall, three-tiered tower, and gutted the ticket office and baggage rooms. Following the fire, the tower was rebuilt at a lower height. It was lowered still further during a 1944 remodeling. During the early 20th century, notable people frequently passed through the station, and crowds would gather when word was received that celebrities like

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...

or Albert Einstein would be arriving. In 1970, amid declining train traffic, the Santa Fe Railway closed and demolished the Alvarado Hotel. The depot remained in use, and was designated an Albuquerque Historic Landmark, which was intended to protect it from meeting the same fate. However, it was destroyed by a fire on January 4, 1993. In 2006 the depot was replaced by a new Amtrak and Greyhound terminal on the same site which is part of the Alvarado Transportation Center multi-modal transit facility. The replacement station features a similar design to the original, with a tiled roof, arcade, and tower.

Architecture

Like the Alvarado, the depot was designed by

in the

Mission Revival The Mission Revival style was part of an architectural movement, beginning in the late 19th century, for the revival and reinterpretation of American colonial styles. Mission Revival drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century ...

style. It was a rectangular, one-story building, , and surrounded by a wide arcade that originally connected to the hotel. Other Mission-style details included a hipped tile roof with a curved parapet and a stepped tower. The building was constructed from timber framing with a pebbledash stucco exterior applied to a layer of wire lath. After the destruction of the Alvarado Hotel, the depot was considered to be Albuquerque's best remaining example of Mission style architecture. In 1978, preservationist Susan Dewitt wrote, "For most of its life, the depot was seen mainly as one part of the beautiful hotel and station complex. Now, standing in isolation, it is all that is left to remind us of the style and elegance that was once an essential part of the Santa Fe."

References

{{reflist Former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway stations Railway stations in the United States opened in 1902 New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties Mission Revival architecture in New Mexico Buildings and structures in Albuquerque, New Mexico Burned buildings and structures in the United States Buildings and structures demolished in 1993 Railway stations in New Mexico Demolished buildings and structures in New Mexico