When completed in 1924 this beautiful Beaux-Arts
inspired station was promoted as the largest and most complete structure of its kind in any city the size of Champaign. At the time the populationwas 15,873.
The station was constructed at the same time 2 1/4 miles of rail line was raised through Champaign from St. Mary’s Road to Washington Street. The havoc caused by having automobiles, streetcars, and rail all in one space prompted the rail line to be raised. The project was a massive undertaking that required over ninety thousand cubic yards of new fill material hauled in from Paxton, Illinois. Overall, nine subways were created that could accommodate cars and truck traffic as well as streetcars. The project was officially opened as the first train rolled through town at 12:01 p.m. on October 16, 1923.
To make way for construction of this station the former depot which is now located to the north was rolled several hundred feet to its current location while keeping the station working.