Site submitted by: Steve Lee
River Mile 838.90 — Left Descending Bank
History
Infrastructure
Food and Refreshments
The choice of the railroads' locations and routes had to do with moving freight from the river valley and steamboat landings up to the top of the river-side cliffs. The chosen routes went up the valleys of four streams (the Mississippi, the Minnesota, Trout Brook, and Phalen Creek). The first mile of the Great Northern tracks up the Trout Brook Valley was the steepest grade on the railroad between St. Paul and the Cascade Mountains. (Brack, George)
In 1912 the Union Station served 9 railroads. Each day 35,000 passengers in 300 trains made up of 1,000 cars moved through the Union Station (Twin Cities MHS. p. 15). The previous "Union" depot was a block south on the east side of Sibley Street, but it was destroyed by fire. The current Union Depot was finished in 1923, with its ten doric columns and an interior of Kasota dolomite, Tennessee and Missouri marble, and concrete. It is decorated with murals and relief sculptures celebrating Minnesota transportation history. The brick concourse spanned 17 railroad tracks.
Use of the Union Depot for passenger rail ended in the 1970's and the structure was abandoned to pigeons for twelve years, until renovations began in 1983 ("What's Historic?" RCH). Several lovely restaurants including Christo's and Lee Ann Chin now operate in the old station lobby.
Content © 2005 Friends of the Mississippi River and each item's authors.
The Mississippi River Field Guide is provided by Friends of the Mississippi River.
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