Northern Pacific Railroad Depot (Missoula, Montana)

Northern Pacific Railroad Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The depot in 2012
Location	Railroad and Higgins Avenue Missoula, Montana
Coordinates	46°52′31″N 113°59′30″W / 46.87528°N 113.99167°WCoordinates: 46°52′31″N 113°59′30″W / 46.87528°N 113.99167°W
Built	1901
Architect	Reed and Stem
Architectural style	Simplified Renaissance Revival
NRHP Reference #	85000644[1]
Added to NRHP	March 28, 1985

The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot in Missoula, Montana, was built by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1901. The current structure is the third depot built in Missoula by the Northern Pacific, which reached Missoula in 1883.^[2]

History

Amtrak's North Coast Hiawatha at Missoula in July 1976

The coming of the Northern Pacific Railway to Missoula ensured the town's economic prosperity as a major transportation hub in Western Montana.^[3] The first depot in Missoula was constructed in 1883 and was located approximately 800 feet (240 m) west of the current structure. This depot was planned to be replaced in 1896, but the replacement depot was destroyed by arson before it was completed. The current depot, which was completed in 1901, was designed by noted architects Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota, in a simplified Renaissance Revival style of architecture.^[2] Reed and Stem designed over 100 railroad depots, including the Grand Central Terminal in New York City.^[2][4][5]

The depot is constructed in brick, with a terra cotta tile roof.^[2] It features a main three-story structure flanked by one story wings on each side. The main structure is divided by brick columns into six bays, with the outer four columns on each side sporting the Northern Pacific black and red yin-yang logo. The wings are likewise divided into four bays. The main structure has a hipped roof with terra cotta tiles, while the wings feature flat roofs.^[6]

Passenger trains of the Northern Pacific stopped at the depot through 1971, when passenger service in the United States was taken over by Amtrak. Amtrak continued to provide service to Missoula with the North Coast Hiawatha until 1979.^[7]

The depot was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1985,^[1] and is considered to be the most prominent structure symbolizing the importance of the railroad in developing and transforming Missoula's economy.^[2]

Near the depot is the preserved Northern Pacific #1356 4-6-0 steam locomotive.^[6][8][9]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Missoula County, Montana

Footnotes

1. National Register Information System
2. McDonald, Babcock 1984, p. 3.
3. McDonald, Babcock 1984, p. 6.
4. Missoula Downtown Association
5. Belle 2000, p. 52.
6. McDonald, Babcock 1984, p. 2.
7. 4.0 Passenger Rail, p. 1.
8. Northern Pacific locomotive 1356
9. Google Maps

References

• 4.0 Passenger Rail: 2010 Montana State Rail Plan (PDF), Cambridge Systematics, Inc., 2010, retrieved August 8, 2013
• Belle, John (2000). Grand Central: Gateway to a Million Lives. W. W. Norton & Company. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
• Google (August 8, 2013). "Aerial View of Northern Pacific 1356" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
• "Historic Walking Tour: Downtown Historic Buildings". Missoula Downtown Association. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
• McDonald, James R. and William Babcock (December 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Northern Pacific Railroad Depot" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places.
• "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
• "Northern Pacific locomotive 1356, Missoula.". University of Montana. Retrieved August 8, 2013.