Northern Pacific Railway Depot

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Built in 1924, the Northern Pacific Railway Depot is one of the most historic buildings in Miles City. Located just a few blocks south of Main Street, the depot represents the tremendous impact the Northern Pacific had on the city's development. Though long vacant and largely left to disrepair, the depot is also significant for its Second Renaissance Revival architecture. It was built with a red-brick facade and its notable features include arched windows, circular concrete medallions, and a low-slung hipped roofline. The depot operated until 1979 and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Images

The Northern Pacific Railway Depot was built in 1924 and was an integral part of the city's economy for several decades.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The Northern Pacific Railroad (NPR) first arrived in Miles City in 1881. It was a significant event as it secured the city's status as an important economic center in southeast Montana. Because it facilitated trade and transportation (especially of livestock), the railroad attracted homesteaders, cattle ranchers, businessmen and others to the city and surrounding region. As a result, the population grew steadily in the coming years and the community thrived. The NPR built a small wood-frame depot in 1882 and then a red-brick depot in 1900. It should be noted that the Milwaukee, Chicago & St. Paul Railroad (more commonly known as the Milwaukee Road) arrived in 1907 and built its own station in 1909. Both railroads contributed to the area's development.

Miles City continued to thrive until 1917 when drought slowed the area's growth. The NPR, however, felt bullish about the city's future and decided to build the depot in 1922. Construction began in the summer of 1923 and was finished in January 1924. Although the city did not experience the same amount of growth as it did during its first few decades, the depot was a vital part of the community, serving the city and region for several decades. In fact the service the depot provided helped stabilize and support the local economy during the Great Depression and after World War II. It was also a secure place of employment.

However, demand for passenger train travel began to decline in the 1950s. Eventually the Milwaukee Road ended passenger service in 1964. The NPR didn't last much longer, ceasing passenger service 1971. Amtrak took over but it only offered long-distance trips and trains only came once a day. As a result, the businesses located near the depot (hotels, stores, etc.) closed. Amtrak stopped service in 1979 and the depot began to fall into disrepair. In 2009, the city saved the depot from demolition. However, it remains vacant as of 2020.

Sources

Hampton, Kate. "Northern Pacific Railway Depot." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 1, 2010. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8db950dd-54e4-4c7f-9b26-0efe316583ae.

Kemmick, Ed. "Train depot project aims to preserve history." Billings Gazette. December 15, 2009. https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/train-depot-project-aims-to-preserve-history/article_46de5f2a-e937-11de-b1de-001cc4c002e0.html.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Pacific_Railway_Depot,_Miles_City.jpg

Additional Information

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Northern Pacific Railway Depot