Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot
Encyclopedia
The Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot is a spacious building on the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City
, Utah
. Built from 1908 to 1909, it harkens back to a more prosperous era in the history of American railroad travel
. As Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, while north of North Temple (100 North) it is the route used by the UTA FrontRunner line and Union Pacific. Trains from the west used a line south of 900 South in Glendale as an approach route to the north-to-south platforms. The Salt Lake and Ogden (Bamberger
) Interurban line also stopped very nearby. When Amtrak
was formed in 1971, it took over the remaining passenger services at the station, but after Rio Grande
joined Amtrak, all trains were moved to use its former station
three blocks south.
The sandstone building is constructed in French Second Empire style, and includes a terazzo floor and stained glass windows. One ceiling mural
by San Francisco
artist Harry Hopps depicts the driving of the Golden Spike north of Salt Lake City at "Promontory Summit"
signifying the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. Another mural by San Francisco artist John McQuarrie shows the 1847 arrival of Mormon
pioneer
s to what is now Salt Lake City.
Several side rooms were originally used for separate male and female waiting areas. The depot once housed an emergency hospital, lunch room, baggage rooms, and offices for both of the original railroads. Most of these features are gone now, but the building was extensively renovated in the 1970s to repair damage. Additionally, the original slate
roof was replaced by copper
plates due to leaking problems.
who relocated all passenger rail service to Salt Lake Citys Central Station
, now serves as an entrance to the Gateway District
development. However, most of the building is not used for its original purpose due to the marked decrease in rail travel over the several decades. Union Pacific now uses some of the space for offices and training areas.
In January 2006, three floors of the old Union Pacific depot re-opened as a restaurant and music venue, fittingly called The Depot
. The Depot brings a wide variety of musical talent to Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Built from 1908 to 1909, it harkens back to a more prosperous era in the history of American railroad travel
History of rail transport in the United States
Railroads have played a large role in the development of the United States of America, from the industrial revolution in the North-east to the colonization of the West. The American railway mania began with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1828 and flourished until the Panic of 1873 bankrupted...
. As Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Railway history
Originally called the Union Station, it was jointly constructed by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and the Oregon Short Line, both later wholly owned by the Union Pacific, at an estimated cost of $450,000. The platforms behind the station ran north-to-south, parallel to the first mainline built in the Salt Lake Valley (which predated the station building). South of 1300 South this is the route now used by the UTA TRAX Blue Line and Salt Lake City SouthernSalt Lake City Southern Railroad
The Salt Lake City Southern Railroad is a 25-mile shortline operating between Salt Lake City, Utah and Murray, Utah. The SL began operating on April 19, 1993 as a RailTex subsidiary. Today the SL is a subsidiary of the Utah Railway and is owned by the Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The line was...
, while north of North Temple (100 North) it is the route used by the UTA FrontRunner line and Union Pacific. Trains from the west used a line south of 900 South in Glendale as an approach route to the north-to-south platforms. The Salt Lake and Ogden (Bamberger
Simon Bamberger
Simon Bamberger was the fourth Governor of Utah after it achieved statehood from territorial status in 1896. Bamberger bears the distinction of being the first non-Mormon, the first Democrat, and the first and to date only Jew to be elected Governor of the State of Utah...
) Interurban line also stopped very nearby. When Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
was formed in 1971, it took over the remaining passenger services at the station, but after Rio Grande
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
joined Amtrak, all trains were moved to use its former station
Denver and Rio Grande Western Depot (Salt Lake City)
The Denver and Rio Grande Western Depot, commonly referred to as the Rio Grande Depot, in a former railroad station on the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. The depot was constructed by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1910, and was listed on the National Register of...
three blocks south.
Architecture
According to The Railway Gazette (1907) the structure's plans came from the office of J.H. Wallace, Assistant Chief Engineer of the Southern Pacific, under the direction of D.J. Patterson, Architect for that company. It served both the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake and the Oregon Short Line when it was completed in 1909 but eventually became wholly owned by Union Pacific in the 1920s. Initially, both railroads' initials were prominently displayed on the front of the building, but the "Union Pacific" shield or related logo has graced the depot for most of its history.The sandstone building is constructed in French Second Empire style, and includes a terazzo floor and stained glass windows. One ceiling mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
by San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
artist Harry Hopps depicts the driving of the Golden Spike north of Salt Lake City at "Promontory Summit"
Promontory, Utah
Promontory in Box Elder County, Utah, United States, is notable as the location of Promontory Summit where the United States' Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed on May 10, 1869....
signifying the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. Another mural by San Francisco artist John McQuarrie shows the 1847 arrival of Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneer
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
s to what is now Salt Lake City.
Several side rooms were originally used for separate male and female waiting areas. The depot once housed an emergency hospital, lunch room, baggage rooms, and offices for both of the original railroads. Most of these features are gone now, but the building was extensively renovated in the 1970s to repair damage. Additionally, the original slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof was replaced by copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
plates due to leaking problems.
The Building Today
The main lobby, no longer used by AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
who relocated all passenger rail service to Salt Lake Citys Central Station
Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub
Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub is a multi-modal transportation hub located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Amtrak, the national regional rail system, provides one train daily in each direction on the California Zephyr: west to Emeryville, California and east to Chicago, Illinois...
, now serves as an entrance to the Gateway District
Gateway District
The Gateway District is a large open air retail, residential and office complex in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The complex is centered around the historic Union Pacific Depot in downtown Salt Lake City...
development. However, most of the building is not used for its original purpose due to the marked decrease in rail travel over the several decades. Union Pacific now uses some of the space for offices and training areas.
In January 2006, three floors of the old Union Pacific depot re-opened as a restaurant and music venue, fittingly called The Depot
The Depot
The Depot is a 1200 capacity, 4 story venue located in downtown Salt Lake City that is part of the Union Pacific Train Station. It is a 21 and older venue with a patio for smoking....
. The Depot brings a wide variety of musical talent to Salt Lake City.