Grand Junction Depot
The Grand Junction Depot is a two-story Italian Renaissance railroad station built in 1906 to accommodate the city's growing rail traffic.
The Grand Junction Depot is a two-story Italian Renaissance railroad station built in 1906 to accommodate the city's growing rail traffic. A downtown landmark, the building serves as a reminder of the important role that railroads—especially the Denver & Rio Grande (later the Denver & Rio Grande Western)—played in Grand Junction's development. In 1992 Amtrak stopped using the historic depot, but in the 2010s local preservationists and developers decided to rehabilitate the building for new uses.
The Denver & Rio Grande in Grand Junction
As soon as Grand Junction was established in 1881, railroads began to eye the city as an important hub that would help them stretch their lines west toward Salt Lake City. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway rapidly built its main line toward the new city, and on November 22, 1882, the first locomotive arrived. The Rio Grande planned to make Grand Junction a regional headquarters, so it bought a large amount of Grand Junction Town Company stock and acquired land by its tracks on the southwest edge of town for a major repair facility and switchyard. The railroad soon became one of Grand Junction's largest employers, and it helped the city grow by bringing an influx of new residents (including many immigrants), businesses, and tourists. Thanks to the railroad, Grand Junction took shape as the most important transportation and business center on the Western Slope.
Growing City Gets New Depot
The first railroad depot in Grand Junction was a simple log structure alongside the tracks. In early 1884 it was replaced by a two-story Queen Anne style depot that was one of the largest buildings in town. In the early 1900s a sugar beet boom caused Grand Junction's population to double from 3,500 to 7,000 in just five years. Four railroads operated out of the city, including the Rio Grande and the Colorado Midland, and they soon needed a larger depot to handle their growing passenger and freight traffic.
Construction on the new depot began on April 6, 1905, on a site just south of the existing depot. The depot was completed in September 1906 at a cost of $60,000. It was located at the far southwest corner of downtown where Pitkin Avenue met South Second Street, facing the city's street grid at a forty-five-degree angle. Designed by Chicago architect Henry J. Schlack, it was a two-story Italian Renaissance structure made of white brick with terra cotta ornamentation and a red tile roof. The second floor featured arched stained-glass windows.
Inside, the depot had a large oval waiting room that was considered one of the finest in the region: sixty-six feet long, thirty-three feet wide, with a twenty-two-foot ceiling and solid oak woodwork. From the main waiting room, passengers could access the ticket office, a small alcove with a fireplace, and large and lavish restrooms. Upstairs, railroad and Western Union workers occupied offices on the northeast side of the building. A one-story extension southeast of the main building contained the baggage room and offices for the Wells Fargo and Globe Express shipping companies.
Local Landmark
During the twentieth century, the Grand Junction Depot's original interior was slowly covered by decades of alterations. The woodwork in the waiting room was painted, parts of the large restrooms were converted to offices, and the fireplace alcove became a storage space. In the 1920s the waiting room's high ceiling was dropped to make room for more second-floor offices. Nevertheless, the depot became a local landmark because of its size, stylish architecture, and angled position relative to the rest of downtown.
The building represented one of the largest regional employers—the Rio Grande—which remained important even after the shift from steam locomotives to diesel engines in the 1950s allowed the railroad to operate with a smaller workforce. Despite the rise in trucking and air travel in the late twentieth century, Grand Junction's freight rail traffic remained strong thanks to the region's growing coal, oil, and gas development. The Rio Grande continued to use Grand Junction as a regional hub and employed plenty of workers to maintain its trains and rails in western Colorado and eastern Utah.
For decades the depot continued to serve passengers on the California Zephyr and later the Rio Grande Zephyr, the last non-government-owned long-distance passenger train in the United States. In 1983 the Rio Grande gave up the route because of a lack of passengers, and it was incorporated into the Amtrak system. Amtrak introduced new trains and started making daily trips between Denver and Salt Lake City, which helped increase ridership. In 1992, however, Amtrak moved its passenger depot to a converted building nearby, claiming that the historic depot was unsafe because it had not been maintained.
The same year that Amtrak moved out, the depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To prevent further deterioration, local preservationists and railroad enthusiasts soon secured a State Historical Fund grant to replace the building's roof. Various ideas for adaptive reuse of the depot cropped up, but nothing worked out and the building remained vacant in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2010 Colorado Preservation, Inc. named the building one of the state's Most Endangered Places to spur interest in its restoration. Since then, Colorado Preservation has worked with Friends of the Grand Junction Railroad Depot and the city of Grand Junction to develop plans for rehabilitating the building as a train station and commercial center.
The Grand Junction Depot is a two-story railroad station built in 1906 in the Italian Renaissance style. It was built to serve the city's growing railway traffic. It is a downtown landmark that serves as a reminder of the important role that railroads played in Grand Junction's development. One of the most important railroad companies at that time was the Denver & Rio Grande (D&RG). In later years, Amtrak (the US government rail system) took over railway service in the area. In 1992 Amtrak stopped using the historic depot. In the 2010s, local business people and others with an interest in preserving the historic building decided to update the building for new uses.
Grand Junction was established in 1881, shortly after the Ute people were forced from western Colorado. Soon afterward, railroad companies began to consider the new city as a location for a hub that would help the rail companies grow. They wanted to continue their rail lines from Denver west toward Salt Lake City. Grand Junction was a handy stopping point along the way. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway rapidly built its main railway tracks toward the new city of Grand Junction. On November 22, 1882, the first locomotive arrived there. The D&RG also planned to make Grand Junction one of its regional headquarters for office workers and train mechanics. The company bought a large amount of Grand Junction Town Company stock and purchased land by its tracks. The land was on the southwest edge of town to be used for a major repair facility and switchyard. The railroad company soon became one of Grand Junction's largest employers. The railways helped the city grow by bringing in new residents, businesses, and tourists. Thanks to the railroad, Grand Junction became the most important transportation and business center in western Colorado.
The first railroad depot in Grand Junction was a simple log building alongside the tracks. In early 1884 it was replaced by a two-story Queen Anne style depot that was one of the largest buildings in town. In the early 1900s, many farmers began to grow sugar beets, which were used to make sugar. This increase in farming and sugar-making activity in the area caused Grand Junction's population to double from 3,500 to 7,000 in just five years. Four railroad companies operated out of the city, including the D&RG and the Colorado Midland. They soon needed a larger depot to handle the growing amount of passenger and freight traffic.
Construction on the new depot began on April 6, 1905, on a site just south of the existing depot. The new depot was completed in September 1906 at a cost of $60,000. It was located at the far southwest corner of downtown where Pitkin Avenue met South Second Street. The depot building was built on the land at an interesting forty-five-degree angle compared to the grid of city streets. It was designed by Chicago architect Henry J. Schlack. The two-story structure was made of white brick with terra cotta ornamentation and a red tile roof. The second floor featured arched stained-glass windows. This architecture style is called Italian Renaissance.
Inside, the depot had a large oval waiting room that was considered one of the finest in the region. It was sixty-six feet long, thirty-three feet wide, with a twenty-two-foot high ceiling and it had solid oak woodwork. From the main waiting room, passengers could access the ticket office, a small nook with a fireplace, and large and lavish restrooms. In the upstairs area of the building, there were business offices on the northeast side of the building for railroad workers and Western Union telegraph workers. A one-story area on the southeast end of the main building contained the baggage room and offices for the Wells Fargo and Globe Express shipping companies.
During the twentieth century, the Grand Junction Depot's original interior was slowly covered by decades of alterations. The woodwork in the waiting room was painted, parts of the large restrooms were converted to offices, and the fireplace nook area became a storage space. In the 1920s the waiting room's high ceiling was made lower to make room above it for more second-floor offices. Even with these many changes, the depot became a local landmark because of its size, stylish architecture, and angled position compared to the rest of downtown.
The building represented the D&RG, which was one of the largest regional employers. This company remained important even after the company needed fewer workers when the trains were changed from using steam locomotives to diesel engines in the 1950s. Despite the rise in trucking and air travel after World War II, Grand Junction's freight rail traffic remained strong thanks to the region's growing coal, oil, and gas development. The D&RG continued to use Grand Junction as a regional hub. They employed plenty of workers to maintain its trains and rails in western Colorado and eastern Utah.
For many decades, the depot continued to serve passengers for a train called the California Zephyr and later called the Rio Grande Zephyr. This train was the last long-distance passenger train in the United States that was owned and operated by a private company, and not by the government. In 1983 the D&RG gave up the route because of a lack of passengers. This route was taken over by the government-run Amtrak train system. Amtrak bought new trains and started making daily trips which passed through Grand Junction on its route between Denver and Salt Lake City. This new rail schedule helped increase the number of passengers. In 1992 Amtrak moved its passenger depot from the historic 1906 depot building to a different building nearby. Amtrak claimed that the historic depot was unsafe because it had not been kept in good repair.
The same year that Amtrak moved out, the 1906 depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Local business people and others with an interest in preserving the historic building replaced the building's roof to prevent further damage. The money for the new roof came from a State Historical Fund grant. Various ideas for alternate uses of the depot were considered, but nothing worked out. The building remained vacant in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2010 Colorado Preservation, Inc. named the depot building as one of the state's Most Endangered Places to encourage interest in its restoration. Since then, Colorado Preservation has worked with Friends of the Grand Junction Railroad Depot and the city of Grand Junction. Together they developed plans for additional repairs so the building could be used as a train station and commercial center.
The Grand Junction Depot is a two-story railroad station built in 1906. Its architecture style is called Italian Renaissance. It was built to serve the new city's growing railway traffic. It is a downtown landmark. In the late nineteenth century, railroads had an important role in Grand Junction's early growth. One of the most important was the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG).
In later years, a different business called Amtrak took over Grand Junction's passenger rail service. Amtrak is the rail system run by the United States government. In 1992 Amtrak stopped using the historic depot. In the 2010s, local businesspeople and others with an interest in preserving the historic building decided to update the building for new uses.
Grand Junction was founded in 1881. Soon afterward, railroad companies wanted to reach the area. They wanted to add tracks west from Denver toward Salt Lake City, and Grand Junction was a handy stopping point along the way. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway rapidly built its new tracks toward Grand Junction. On November 22, 1882, the first train arrived there on the new tracks. The D&RG also wanted many of their office workers and train mechanics to be located in Grand Junction. So the company bought land in Grand Junction next to its tracks. The railroad company soon became one of Grand Junction's largest employers. The railways helped the city grow by bringing in new residents, businesses, and tourists. Thanks to the railroad, Grand Junction became the most important city in western Colorado.
The first railroad depot in Grand Junction was a simple log building near the tracks. In early 1884, it was replaced by a two-story Queen Anne style depot that was one of the largest buildings in town. In the early 1900s, many farmers began to grow sugar beets, which were used to make sugar. Lots of people moved to Grand Junction because of the sugar beet activity. The amount of people living in Grand Junction doubled from 3,500 to 7,000 in just five years. Four railroad companies were in business in Grand Junction, including the D&RG and the Colorado Midland. They soon needed a larger depot to handle the growing amount of trains for passengers and cargo.
Construction on the new depot began on April 6, 1905, near the old depot. The new depot was completed in September 1906. It cost $60,000. It was located in the downtown area. The depot building was designed by architect Henry J. Schlack. The two-story structure was made of white brick with terra cotta decorations and a red tile roof. The second floor had arched stained-glass windows. This architecture style is called Italian Renaissance.
Inside, the depot had a large oval waiting room. It was considered one of the finest in the region. It was sixty-six feet long, thirty-three feet wide, and had a twenty-two-foot high ceiling. The woodwork was solid oak. From the main waiting room, passengers could get to the ticket office, a small sitting area with a fireplace, and large, fancy restrooms. Upstairs, there were business offices for railroad workers and telegraph workers. There was also a one-story section on the end of the main building. This section contained the baggage room and offices for two cargo shipping companies.
During the twentieth century, the Grand Junction Depot's original interior was slowly altered over many years. The woodwork in the waiting room was painted, parts of the large restrooms were converted to offices, and the small sitting area became a storage room. In the 1920s, the waiting room's high ceiling was lowered to make room above it for more second-floor offices. Even with these many changes, the depot became a local landmark because of its size, stylish architecture, and its interesting, angled position on the land.
The building was a symbol for the important D&RG company, which employed many local workers. In the 1950s, the trains were changed from steam locomotives to diesel engines. Fewer workers were needed to operate and repair the new engines. Yet even with fewer workers, the D&RG was still an important company. After World War II, people and goods increasingly traveled on trucks and airplanes. But the railroads were still important because they hauled cargo for the area's growing coal, oil, and gas development. They also still needed plenty of workers to maintain their trains and rails in western Colorado and eastern Utah.
For many decades, the depot continued to serve passenger trains, too. A train called the Zephyr was operated by the D&RG. It became the last long-distance passenger train in the United States that was owned and operated by a private company. In 1983 the D&RG gave up the route because of a lack of passengers. This passenger route was taken over by the government-run Amtrak train system. To get more riders, Amtrak bought new trains. It started making daily trips that passed through Grand Junction on the route between Denver and Salt Lake City. The number of passengers did increase. In 1992 Amtrak moved its passenger depot from the historic 1906 building to a different building nearby. Amtrak said that the historic depot was unsafe because it had not been kept in good repair.
The same year that Amtrak moved out, the 1906 depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Local business people and others with an interest in saving the historic building replaced the building's roof to prevent further damage. The money for the new roof came from a State Historical Fund grant. People tried to think of new ideas for how to use the historic depot, but nothing worked out. The building remained empty in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2010 Colorado Preservation, Inc. named the depot building as one of the state's Most Endangered Places. They did this to encourage interest in having it repaired and updated. Since then, Colorado Preservation has worked with Friends of the Grand Junction Railroad Depot and the city of Grand Junction. Together they developed plans for more repairs to the building so it could be used as a train station and shops.
The Grand Junction Depot is a two-story railroad station built in 1906. Its architecture style is called Italian Renaissance. It was built to serve the new city's growing railway traffic. It is a downtown landmark. The railroads helped Grand Junction grow as a new city. The Denver & Rio Grande was one of the most important railroad companies then. In later years, Amtrak, the US government's rail agency, took over the passenger trains in the area. In 1992 Amtrak stopped using the historic depot. In the 2010s, many people who cared about saving the building started making more plans to restore the building for new uses.
Grand Junction began in 1881. Soon afterward, railroad companies wanted to grow in the area. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway wanted to add new railroad tracks west from Denver toward Salt Lake City. Grand Junction was a handy stopping point along the way. On November 22, 1882, the first train arrived there on the new tracks. The Rio Grande also wanted many of their office workers and train mechanics to be in Grand Junction. So the Rio Grande company bought land in Grand Junction next to its railway tracks. The railroad company soon had more workers than most other companies in Grand Junction. The railways helped the city grow by bringing new people to live, work, and go on vacation.
The first railroad depot in Grand Junction was a simple log building near the tracks. In early 1884 it was replaced by a two-story depot. In the early 1900s, many farmers began to grow lots of sugar beets, which were used to make sugar. Many people moved to Grand Junction because of the sugar beets. The amount of people living in Grand Junction doubled from 3,500 to 7,000 in just five years. Four railroad companies were in business in Grand Junction. They soon needed a larger depot to handle the many trains for passengers and cargo.
They began building the new depot on April 6, 1905, near the old depot. The new depot was done in September 1906. It cost $60,000. It was located in the downtown area. It was designed by architect Henry J. Schlack. The two-story structure was made of white brick with clay decorations and a red tile roof. The second floor had arched stained-glass windows. This architecture style is called Italian Renaissance.
Inside, the depot had a large oval waiting room. It was considered one of the fanciest in the region and was very big. The woodwork was solid oak. The main waiting room was near the ticket office, and it had a small sitting area with a fireplace. The restrooms were large and fancy. In the upstairs of the depot, there were offices. There was also a one-story section for the baggage room.
The inside of the Grand Junction Depot was slowly changed over many years. The woodwork in the waiting room was painted. Parts of the large restrooms were changed to offices. The small sitting area became a storage room. In the 1920s, the waiting room's high ceiling was made lower. This was done to make room above it for more offices. Even with these many changes, the depot became a local landmark because of its size and interesting design.
The building was a symbol for the important Rio Grande company, which had very many local workers. In the late 1900s, more trucks and airplanes became used for travel. But the railroads were still important because they hauled cargo for coal, oil, and gas businesses. They still employed plenty of workers to maintain their trains and rails in western Colorado and eastern Utah.
For many years, the depot still had passenger trains using it. The last passenger train operated by the Rio Grande was called the Zephyr. In 1983 the Rio Grande gave up running passenger trains because there were not enough passengers. This passenger route was taken over by the Amtrak train system which is run by the government. To get more riders, Amtrak bought new trains. They started making daily trips which passed through Grand Junction on the way between Denver and Salt Lake City. The number of passengers did increase. In 1992 Amtrak quit using the 1906 depot building. Instead they used a different building nearby. Amtrak said that the historic depot was unsafe because it had not been kept in good repair.
In 1992 the 1906 depot was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. People who wanted to save the old building had the roof replaced to stop more damage. The money for the new roof came from a State Historical Fund grant. People tried to think of new ideas for how to use the historic depot, but nothing worked out. The building stayed empty in the 1990s and 2000s.
In 2010 Colorado Preservation, Inc. named the depot building as one of the state's Most Endangered Places. They did this to help get interest in having more repairs made to save the building from falling apart. Since then, many people who love the depot have talked. Together they made plans for more repairs to the building so it could perhaps be used as a train station and shops.
Kristen Ashbeck, "Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Depot," National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (May 1992).
Colorado Preservation, Inc., "Grand Junction Depot," Endangered Places Archives, 2010.
Dave Fishell, The Grand Heritage: A Photographic History of Grand Junction, Colorado, 2nd ed. (Virginia Beach, VA: Donning, 1994).
Clive Carter and David Carter, Denver & Rio Grande Western Depots, Volume One: Colorado (2013).
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