| Union Depot, built in 1877, remodeled in the 1890's and abandoned by 1915. The location was described in the Kansas City Times of April 16, 1945 as Union Depot from 1877 to 1915, on "bawdy" Union Avenue, "reached via the famous 'cattle chute' by way of the Eighth Street Tunnel and exciting Ninth Street Incline."I don't yet know the whole history of this building but it was, along with all of the West Bottoms, a frequent victim of flooding and the wise City Fathers or practical railroad investors decided after the 1903 flood to move to higher ground. The current Union Station on Pershing Road is the result of that decision. That was accomplished in 1914 and the old Union Depot was no more.
This was not the first station built on the site. In 1872, the Hannibal and St. Joseph erected a wooden station here. The "new" Union Depot, (a drawing of it is in the title of this page) was built in 1877. It was a Second Empire, design with plenty of filagree to give the city a world class aire. This station was greatly remodeled within the next decade during which time it lost the central tower. The Nineth Street cable car line decended the bluffs on the Northeast end. Passengers could reach the station from the elevated cable car platform via a covered footbridge. |
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Union Avenue from 9th Street Viaduct
1890 |
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Union Avenue today from 9th Street Viaduct
January, 2005 |
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Hannibal and St. Joe Depot
1880 |
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"New" Union Depot
1888 |
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Third Union Depot viewed from West bluffs
1890's |
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Union Avenue seen from the West Bluffs today
January, 2005 |
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#828 and coach, trackside at old Union Depot
1880's |
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Same location a bit more distant.
January, 2005 |