The Watseka Union Depot is a historic railway station located on South Second Street in Watseka, Illinois. The depot was built in 1906 to accommodate traffic on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad through the city; it also served the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway's line. Railway service through Watseka began in 1858, when the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad (a predecessor of the TP&W) opened a line through the city; the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad, which became part of the C&EI, began passenger service to Watseka in 1871 and soon accounted for the bulk of the city's rail traffic. The TP&W provided a plan for the new depot in 1904, which was similar to other stations along its line. The Watseka Women's Club provided planning input on the city's behalf; their influence resulted in the addition of a women's waiting room and a more monumental station with a depot park, both uncommon elements in a station serving a city of Watseka's size. By 1916, the new station served six trains which started or ended service in Watseka and twelve through routes; the line through Watseka remained profitable through the 1940s, and the city retained C&EI service until 1971.[2]
Watseka Union Depot | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | 121 South Second St., Watseka, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°46′32″N 87°44′12″W / 40.77556°N 87.73667°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001595[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1999 |
The depot was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1988; it was determined eligible, but was not listed due to an objection from the railways that owned the station. In 1989–90, the building was moved to save it from demolition; its National Register eligibility was revoked due to the move, but it was nominated again and listed on December 22, 1999.[1][2]
| Preceding station | Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coaler toward St. Louis
|
Chicago – St. Louis | Ben toward Chicago
| ||
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b Kratz, Charles G. Jr. (August 1999). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Watseka Union Depot" (PDF). Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved July 19, 2015.[dead link]