Union Depot
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
St. Paul's Union Depot was restored between 2010 and 2012.
Similar to other urban rail depots, this station features the vaulted ceiling design made famous by Rafael Guastavino and his son Rafael Jr.
Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Union Depot was built in 1926 and at its peak, the station served 20,000 passengers each day by connecting them to over three hundred routes. This station replaced a previous structure that was built in 1881 and destroyed by fire. Construction for the current station started in 1917 but was stalled owing to the outbreak of World War I. The station was completed in 1926. Many suspected that the building might be demolished after the last train rolled through the station in 1971. However, the station once again connects residents to the nation's passenger train network via Amtrak and the building was restored between 2010 and 2012. As a result, it continues to connect the city to transportation networks and also serves as a retail and entertainment destination.