Rock Island Depot

Now home to a bank, the former Rock Island Depot is considered one of the finest examples of 19th-century railroad architecture in the state. Erected in 1893, it is also the only depot remaining in Nebraska that was designed in the Chateauesque/Francois I style, which originated France and became popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century. It was built of red brick and features steeply pitched roofs, bracketed eaves, and a gable with a decorative curved parapet. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

The depot was built by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which is often referred to as "Rock Island." The railroad built a line through Lincoln and the depot in 1893. The architect is unknown but the depot was built by a local contractor named Eugene Woerner. It opened for service on May 7th and operated until 1966. Two years later, it was restored and converted into a bank. Apparently, this was the first time in the country that a depot became bank and it is considered one the state's best examples of a "living" restoration. The building has largely remained unchanged since the conversion.

Kolberg, Persijs. "Rock Island Depot." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 3, 1971. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/30ba2107-06cb-49a2-a882-269a7622e885.

"Rock Island Depot." Nebraska Architecture. Accessed April 6, 2022. https://nebraskaarchitecture.org/building/37/rock-island-depot.