Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot (Yankton, South Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yankton
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| Former Milwaukee Road passenger rail station | ||||||||||||||||
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| Location | 800 Douglas Avenue, Yankton, South Dakota 57078 | |||||||||||||||
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| Rebuilt | 1905 | |||||||||||||||
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Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot
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 Location in South Dakota
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| Location | 800 Douglas Ave. (corner of 8th St. and Douglas Ave.) Yankton, South Dakota |
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| Built | 1905 | |||||||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 82003947 | |||||||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | March 5, 1982 | |||||||||||||||
The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot in Yankton, South Dakota is an old train station built in 1905. It was used by a big railroad company called the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as The Milwaukee Road. This depot played an important part in connecting Yankton to other places by train.
Contents
The Yankton Train Depot: A Historic Building
This special building was constructed in 1905. It has a simple, rectangular shape and is just one story tall. The depot is made of strong brick, with nice wood and stone details.
What Was Inside the Depot?
When you arrived at the depot, you would find a covered area. This led to the waiting room, where passengers waited for their trains. At the other end of the building was a room for baggage. In the middle, the station agent had an office. This is where tickets were sold and train movements were managed.
How Trains Replaced Steamboats in Yankton
Before the 1870s, people and goods traveled to Yankton mainly by steamboats. These boats sailed along the Missouri River. But as time went on, steamboat travel became less common.
The Rise of Railroads
Trains started to take over as the main way to travel and transport goods. In the late 1870s, the Dakota Southern Railroad reached Yankton. Soon after, The Milwaukee Road company bought the Dakota Southern. This helped The Milwaukee Road expand its train lines further west. They even built tracks towards Rapid City, South Dakota and the Black Hills.
The Depot's Later Life
After the 1940s, fewer people traveled by train. Because of this, the Yankton depot was eventually sold. The Milwaukee Road company itself faced financial problems and went out of business in the 1980s.
What Happened to the Tracks and the Building?
The train tracks next to the depot were sold to another railroad company. This company was a part of what is now the BNSF Railway. For a while, the old depot building was used as offices for a local cable television company. By 2008, it became the home of an architectural firm.
Why the Depot is Important
The Yankton train depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important building. It was recognized for its unique architecture. It's also important because it shows how Yankton grew as a town. The depot played a big role in the development of railroads in South Dakota.
