Frisco Depot
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Now home to a Chipotle restaurant, the Frisco Depot is a historic train station originally built by the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway in 1897 and completely rebuilt in 1925 in the Spanish Revival style, which is unique for the city. Though it no longer functions as a depot, the building still retains its historic appearance and serves as a reminder to the heyday of railroading in Fayetteville. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
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The former Frisco Depot was first built in 1897 then completely remodeled to give it its Spanish Revival appearance in 1925. It ceased passenger service in 1965.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Before railroads arrived in the early 1880s, Northwest Arkansas was largely isolated. This situation changed when the town's first depot built c.1882. Fayetteville's size and the fact that it was the location of the University of Arkansas (founded 1871) made the town a logical choice for the railroad. The town was also able to raise enough funds to outbid other communities. Unfortunately, the very first depot burned down in 1897 but the original Frisco depot was constructed in its place.
By the early 1920s, the Fayette City Council wanted a revamped train station. The 1897 depot was unattractive to them and not big enough for the growing town and university. However, the increasing use of personal vehicles caused a big drop in passenger ticket sales, which prompted the railroad to decrease the size of the new depot. Railroad usage decreased even further after World War II, as airplane and car travel overtook passenger rail travel. Passenger service officially ended on September 18, 1965. Chipotle moved into the building in 2011.
By the early 1920s, the Fayette City Council wanted a revamped train station. The 1897 depot was unattractive to them and not big enough for the growing town and university. However, the increasing use of personal vehicles caused a big drop in passenger ticket sales, which prompted the railroad to decrease the size of the new depot. Railroad usage decreased even further after World War II, as airplane and car travel overtook passenger rail travel. Passenger service officially ended on September 18, 1965. Chipotle moved into the building in 2011.
Sources
Reno, Carolyn. "Workin' on the Railroad...Depot." The Back-Stay [blog of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History]. October 19, 2015.
http://shilohmuseum.org/wordpress/depot.
Totten, Erica. "Historic Building Gets New Use." The Arkansas Traveler. May 5, 2011. http://www.uatrav.com/news/article_b76af100-10b5-5aff-9064-8840ae43e98d.html.
Unglaub, Walter. "Frisco Depot." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.
http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listings/PDF/WA0212.nr.pdf.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
http://shilohmuseum.org/wordpress/depot.
Totten, Erica. "Historic Building Gets New Use." The Arkansas Traveler. May 5, 2011. http://www.uatrav.com/news/article_b76af100-10b5-5aff-9064-8840ae43e98d.html.
Unglaub, Walter. "Frisco Depot." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.
http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listings/PDF/WA0212.nr.pdf.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons