Livingston station (Northern Pacific Railway) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Livingston, MT
The former Livingston station in 2005
Location	Park Street and Second Street Livingston, Montana United States
Coordinates	45°39′41″N 110°33′45″W / 45.66139°N 110.56250°W / 45.66139; -110.56250 (Livingston Depot)
Owned by	City of Livingston
Platforms	1 side, 1 island platform (removed)
Tracks	2
History
Opened	1902
Closed	October 1979
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Bozeman toward Seattle North Coast Hiawatha Billings toward Chicago Preceding station Northern Pacific Railway Following station Bozeman toward Seattle or Tacoma Main Line Springdale toward St. Paul Brisbin toward Gardiner Yellowstone National Park Line Terminus

Livingston station was once a busy train station in Livingston, Montana. It was built by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1902. The last time passenger trains stopped here was in 1979. That's when Amtrak stopped running its North Coast Hiawatha train. Since 1987, this beautiful old building has been restored. It is now known as the Livingston Depot Center, a special place in Livingston's downtown historic district.

A Look Back at Livingston Station

Building a Grand Station

The Livingston station was designed by a company from Minnesota called Reed and Stem. They were also the first architects for New York City's famous Grand Central Terminal. The station was built in an Italian style. It used red and yellow bricks. It also had fancy terra cotta decorations. These decorations included lion heads, flowers, and the Northern Pacific's special yin-yang symbol.

Inside, the station had beautiful inlaid terrazzo floors and tiles. These also featured the Northern Pacific symbol. It took about three years to build the station. It cost $112,000. The station officially opened in the summer of 1902.

Gateway to Yellowstone

This station was very important for travelers. It handled trains for both the main railway line and the line going to Yellowstone National Park. For about 25 years, it was the main way most visitors entered Yellowstone Park. It was also the main office for the Northern Pacific's Rocky Mountain division. This meant it handled train orders and telegraph messages. Many trains, like the North Coast Limited, passed through here.

The station complex had a main building, a restaurant, and a baggage building. These were connected by a covered walkway around a courtyard. This courtyard faced the train tracks. Before this grand station, there was an older wooden station from 1882, which burned down. Then came a brick building in 1888. But it wasn't big enough for all the people traveling to Yellowstone.

Changes Over Time

The station's early success depended on the railroad. It was a busy place where different train lines connected. It was next to the large Livingston train repair shops. It also served as a main office for the Northern Pacific. This was because it was about halfway between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Seattle, Washington.

Around World War II, fewer people traveled to Yellowstone by train. More people started driving cars. The Yellowstone Park line was mostly used for special group trips. In 1970, the Northern Pacific merged with other railway companies. These included the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Great Northern Railway, and Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway. Together, they formed the Burlington Northern Railroad, which then owned the station.

Passenger train service in the United States changed in 1971. A new company called Amtrak took over. Passenger service on the old Northern Pacific line stopped for a short time. But it started again on June 14 with Amtrak's 'North Coast Hiawatha' train. However, Amtrak stopped the Hiawatha in October 1979. This meant the end of passenger train service to Livingston.

By the mid-1980s, the Burlington Northern Railroad tried to sell the station. But they couldn't find a buyer. Local people then worked hard to save it. They asked for the station to be given to the city. They also created a non-profit group called the Livingston Depot Foundation. This group helped restore the station and now runs it.

Livingston Depot Center Today

A Hub for the Community

In the summer of 1987, the old depot reopened as the Livingston Depot Center. It became a museum and a community center. It is still open today. The museum usually welcomes visitors from late May to mid-September.

When the museum is closed, the building is very busy. It hosts many events like wedding parties, holiday celebrations, and concerts. People also gather for card nights, history talks, and meetings about local business. A model railroad club even meets in its basement. During the Fourth of July weekend, an arts festival takes place in the park next to the station. The building also had a big project to fix its roof and make it stronger between 2004 and 2007.