Illinois Central Passenger Depot-Storm Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Illinois Central Passenger Depot-Storm Lake
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Iowa Show map of Iowa Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	South of W. Railroad St., between Lake and Michigan Aves., Storm Lake, Iowa
Built	1915
Architect	E.E. Bihl
Architectural style	Prairie School Tudor Revival
MPS	Advent & Development of Railroads in Iowa MPS
NRHP reference No.	90001300
Added to NRHP	September 6, 1990

The Illinois Central Passenger Depot-Storm Lake, often called the Storm Lake Depot, was a historic train station in Storm Lake, Iowa, United States. It was a place where people would catch trains to travel to other towns and cities. This building was an important part of Storm Lake's past and how people traveled long ago.

What Was the Storm Lake Depot?

A train depot is like a bus station or airport terminal for trains. It's where passengers buy tickets, wait for their train, and get on or off. The Storm Lake Depot was built by the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). This railroad company helped connect many towns across the country.

The first train tracks came through Storm Lake in 1870. An early version of the Illinois Central Railroad built these tracks. They also built a two-story wooden building that served as both a place for passengers and a place to handle freight (goods).

A Look at Its Design

The depot we are talking about was a newer, brick building. It was finished in August 1915. The building had a special look, combining two architectural styles. One style was Prairie School, which often features strong horizontal lines and open spaces. The other was Tudor Revival, which has elements like steep roofs and decorative half-timbering.

The architect who designed it was E.E. Bihl, working for the Illinois Central Railroad. This depot looked similar to other train stations built by the same railroad in places like Flossmoor, Illinois and Fort Dodge, Iowa.

A Brief History of the Depot

When the new brick passenger depot was completed in 1915, the older wooden depot was still used. It was changed into a building just for handling freight. This old freight depot was later torn down sometime before 1948.

In the 1910s and 1920s, many people traveled by train. So, the Storm Lake Depot was a very busy place. After World War II, fewer people started riding trains. More people began to travel by car or airplane. Because of this, passenger train service slowly declined.

From Busy Hub to Abandoned Building

By the late 1960s, passenger train service to Storm Lake ended completely. Even though freight trains continued to use the tracks, the depot building was no longer needed for passengers. It became abandoned and sat empty for many years.

In 1990, the Storm Lake Depot was recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect buildings that are important to American history. However, despite its historical status, the Storm Lake Illinois Central depot was eventually torn down on February 25, 2013.