Rock Island Depot

107 4th Street

In 1884 the first depot built on the west side of Des Moines was the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company Depot on the east side of 4th St on the corner of 3rd and Vine.

Timeline:

• 1901 – The plans for the passenger depot were submitted by Charles Frost, an architect for CRI & P Railroad.
• 1910 – The original depot was replace by one story covered freight/boarding area and a handsome arched structure was built as a “gateway” to town (it has lost the original glass ceiling.)
• 1929 – The covered platform was enclosed for a service building for baggage, freight and mail. At that time the west section of the passenger depot was converted from a baggage room to a lunch counter.
• 1941 – Interior of passenger depot was remodeled in the Art Deco style by Otto Kuhler, a famed industrial designer for streamlined steam locomotives.
• 1950 – Waiting area has second floor added to create additional office space.
• 1970 – On June 1 the last passenger train pulled out from the depot.
• 1975 – The Rock Island Railroad went into receivership and filed for bankruptcy.
• 1983  – On August 5 the depot, freight building and coach yards were sold to private investors for $400,000.
• 1987 – Passenger Depot renovation for the Business Record Offices by Douglas A. Wells Architect

The Rock Island Depot is the sole survivor; the Northwestern Depot was demolished in the 1960s and the Union Depot in 1975. At its peak, 60 trains arrived in Des Moines daily.

The building is National Register eligible but no one has moved forward on the listing.

A unique example of the Creative Eclecticism movement – a hybrid of classical styles of architecture from many countries. It includes brickwork with a strong sense of craft, a stone belt course and wainscot, as well as a tile roof with highly carved eave brackets.